By Richard Hertling and Kaitlyn McClure, Covington & Burling LLP (April 23, 2017, 10:00 PM EDT) -- After a two-week district work period, members of Congress return to Washington, D.C., this week with a major fiscal deadline looming on Friday. The current continuing resolution is scheduled to expire at midnight on April 28, leaving the House and Senate very little time to strike a deal to keep the government funded and avert a government shutdown. While congressional negotiators had been optimistic at the start of the two-week recess about the prospects for a compromise finalizing fiscal year 2017 funding, there still appears to be some work to do in resolving major issues surrounding the spending package. Press reports now indicate leadership is hoping to at least avert a shutdown by quickly passing a one- or two-week extension allowing for more time to reach an agreement on a larger spending bill for the remainder of FY 2017, which ends on Sept. 30. One of the major hang-ups in the negotiations is a new demand from the White House that the spending bill include funds for border security, including President Trump's proposed border wall with Mexico, which congressional Democrats adamantly oppose. GOP leadership in the House and Senate are likely to need Democratic support in order to pass a final funding package, particularly in the Senate. Other issues involved in the discussions include funding for health care subsidies related to the Affordable Care Act and the ongoing debate over increasing military spending versus non-defense domestic programs. Even though White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer stated publicly last week, "No one wants a shutdown," it is unclear how far the White House is willing to go in securing funds for its border security priorities during the remainder of this fiscal year....