Lawmakers worry that only a disaster will force a shutdown deal

Republican and Democratic lawmakers are increasingly worried that only some kind of disaster will be enough to force Congress to strike a deal to end the partial government shutdown, which has lasted nearly five weeks.

Lawmakers have blown past two possible pressure points without reaching a deal. One was the first missed paycheck for hundreds of thousands of federal workers earlier this month, and the other was President Trump’s State of the Union address, which was set for Jan. 29.