Washington (CNN)Congress is again up against the wire on a bill to avoid a government shutdown. But last-minute brinkmanship, which has become the norm on Capitol Hill, could be in the rear view mirror by Thursday afternoon if House Republicans can find enough Democrats to help them approve a mammoth spending bill. Internal battles among Republicans on spending bills are nothing new. House Speaker John Boehner routinely needs Democrats to help him pass funding bills. But this time House Speaker Nancy Pelosi doesn't seem in the mood to help. "If we don't finish this today, we're going to be hear 'til Christmas," Boehner threatened at a Capitol Hill press conference.
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Government funding is set to run out at midnight
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Republicans and Senate Democratic leaders want to pass a catchall spending bill to fund the government until September
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Democrats in the House have balked at language tucked in the bill that would roll out some Wall Street reforms
Those items that Democratic negotiators fought to get included in this legislation -- and the @placeholder policy changes to gun laws and environmental policies they opposed and blocked -- will be lost.