US House Speaker Sees No Reason for Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States is likely to avoid shutting down the government as the authorities continue to negotiate spending legislation for the fiscal year 2016, US House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Thursday.

"I have no reason to believe that we'll have a government shutdown," Ryan said in an interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program. "The Appropriations Committee, they're working day and night negotiating a government funding bill.”

The US Congress should pass the $1.1 trillion bill to fund the government by December 11. However, the Republicans want to incorporate a number of policy provisions to the bill, including defunding Planned Parenthood abortion provider, banning entry for the Syrian refugees and repealing the Affordable Care Act.

Ryan has previously stated that the Democrats and Republicans have “difference of opinions” on the issues, but they continue to negotiate the deal.

On Wednesday, the White House said President Barack Obama will not sign a short-term funding resolution to allow more time for negotiations.

In 2013, the US government entered a shutdown stopping routine operations because Congress failed to pass the funding legislation on time.