The US Congress faces a critical test of commitment as it approaches another partial government shutdown deadline. In less than two weeks, on November 17, government funding will run out and lawmakers must decide whether to avoid a shutdown or plunge the nation into chaos.

The question on everyone’s mind is whether lawmakers, especially a small but influential group of hardline Republicans, are capable of reaching a compromise. House Republicans, with their slim 221-212 majority, plan to spend next week trying to pass year-long spending bills that have no chance of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate. This has led to concerns among its own members as the closing deadline approaches.

Meanwhile, the Senate, where Democrats hold a narrow 51-49 majority, has also struggled to pass bills to fund the government through Sept. 30. This has added to calls for an interim “continuing resolution” to avoid a shutdown.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed a desire to avoid a shutdown and stressed the need for bipartisan cooperation. However, data analysis shows that members of Congress are more polarized than ever. A Reuters analysis of voteview.com, a tool that measures partisanship, reveals little overlap between the voting records of Republicans and Democrats. That reduces the chances of a bipartisan compromise, which is essential to moving funding legislation through the Republican-majority House and Democratic-led Senate.

Further complicating matters is the narrow Republican majority in the House. Speaker Mike Johnson can afford to lose no more than four party votes on legislation that Democrats oppose. This has elevated the power of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus and plunged Republicans into perpetual political civil war.

As the deadline approaches, the fate of the government hangs in the balance. Will lawmakers be able to overcome their differences and reach a compromise, or will America experience another government shutdown? Only time will tell.

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