WASHINGTON, March 27 (UPI) -- The risk of a U.S. government shutdown is rising again after talks failed last week, Capitol Hill aides say.
The latest deadline is April 8, when the temporary funding measure expires.
The impasse became public Friday in comments from Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and the top three House Republican leaders, The Washington Post reports.
Staff for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and the White House have been discussing a possible deal to keep funding federal functions through the end of the fiscal year in September.
Democrats said since $10 billion in cuts had already been approved, they would need to find only another $20 billion to $25 billion.
But Tuesday, they said, Republicans insisted that negotiators start from the House-passed bill and Democrats name the cuts they could not accept and publicly defend their programs.
Republican aides blamed White House Budget Director Jacob Lew, saying he had presented unreasonable terms.
Schumer said on MSNBC Friday that "some progress" was being made.
That led to Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., all blasting his comment and accusing Democrats of plotting to trigger a shutdown.
