GOP Sen. Mitt Romney thinks a government shutdown is very likely citing the House for his pessimism . House and Senate are about billion apart in funding levels for the federal government for the fiscal year that starts October a gulf that even Republican senators fear will be difficult if not impossible to bridge . Threats persist from McCarthys right wing that if he agrees to funding levels higher than theyd like they could seek to oust from his speakership . House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has repeatedly defended his approach by saying that that the overall budget agreement set out the maximum amount of money to spend and that nothing should stop Congress from taking further steps to rein in skyhigh deficits . But the move to seek deeper cuts has only made it harder for McCarthy to get agreement within his own conference to advance spending bills . The Senate is planning to bring a package of three bipartisan spending bills to the floor next week a stark contrast from the House and a move that could give senators more leverage in the funding fight . The challenge is going to be in the shortterm bill to avoid a shutdown is not even clear that will pass by the September deadline. The Senate bills unlike the House stick to the topline spending levels agreed to in the bipartisan debt ceiling deal. But the Senate bills like the House. Unlike the House, unlike the Senate. unlike the . Senate bills. like the Senate, stick to toplines agreed to the . toplined spending levels. Unlike . the House . The House. unlike The Senate. Unlike The House, like the .Senate bills unlike The . Senate. like . the . House. like The Senate, they are not . toblasted to the. House. toblacked to the Topline Spending Agreement. They are .