Is there going to be a government shutdown in 2024? Congress is running out of time to act.

WASHINGTON – Yet another deadline to avoid a government shutdown is descending on Washington. Lawmakers have less than three days to change course.

A partial government shutdown will set in later this week if Congress fails to act, and a slew of other departments would close their doors for Americans next month.

It's not all bad news: Congress is gearing up to vote in the coming days on a bipartisan deal to temporarily avoid a shutdown. The measure – known as a continuing resolution – was unveiled over the weekend and would fund parts of the government until March 1 and the remainder until March 8.

But Republicans are still squabbling over a potential agreement and aiming their anger at House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. Here's what you need to know about the looming government shutdown and what it means for your family.

When is the next government shutdown?

If Republicans and Democrats can't come together, funding for federal transportation programs, housing and food plans and other resources will expire on Jan. 19. The deadline for the Departments of Health and Human Services, Commerce, Labor, State and Defense comes two weeks later on Feb. 2.

The government shutting down in two phases is unusual. When lawmakers last kicked the funding can down the road in November, they set up the tiered approach.

How can Congress keep the government open?

Time has once again run out for Congress to pass a long-term solution. That means leaders have to approve temporary legislation to avert a devastating shutdown that would impact millions of Americans.

Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced a bipartisan agreement on spending levels for the government – referred to as a topline number – on Sunday.

“Because the completion deadlines are upon us, a short continuing resolution is required to complete what House Republicans are working hard to achieve: an end to governance by omnibus, meaningful policy wins, and better stewardship of American tax dollars,” Johnson said in a statement following the bill’s release, referencing the massive pieces of legislation that often get tied up in spending fights.

Lawmakers aren't out of the woods yet. The potential compromise still has to pass the House and Senate before President Joe Biden can sign it into law.

Will House Republicans reach an agreement?

It's not clear that some of the most conservative lawmakers in Congress will support the latest push to avoid a government shutdown.

A handshake deal between Johnson and Schumer announced this month, which largely resembled the agreement former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Biden struck last summer in exchange for raising the debt ceiling, immediately enraged the House’s right flank.

Those members tried to pressure Johnson into backing out of the deal last week in an effort to win deep spending cuts. But the speaker stuck by the arrangement and on Sunday revealed the current continuing resolution that could buy lawmakers more time to hash out a longer-term funding package.

But even if some Republican lawmakers refuse to support the temporary measure, Johnson may not need their votes. House Democrats signaled they will support the bill, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., saying in a letter to his Democratic colleagues that he will support it to “avoid a disruptive partial government shutdown.”

How does a government shutdown impact me?

A government shutdown means all officials and federal agencies that aren't deemed “essential” have to stop their work and close their doors. If the government does shut down, thousands of federal employees would be furloughed.

"Essential" federal workers, which range from air traffic controllers to emergency personnel in national parks, would work without pay, but they would receive back pay once a shutdown ends. Some subcontractors for the government could be out of work and would not receive back pay.

A shutdown can also have significant impacts on Americans who don't work for the federal government. For example, some food assistance benefits could be delayed, and certain food safety inspections could be put on pause.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack warned in a news briefing in September that, if a shutdown does occur, funding for WIC – or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children – could suffer immediately.

Depending on a person's location, they could also lose access to HeadStart programs for childcare.

Contributing: Riley Beggin and Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is there going to be a government shutdown? Congress runs out of time