The U.S. government on Wednesday teetered one step closer to a potential shutdown, as a number of Republicans seized on a fast-approaching fiscal deadline to mount fresh opposition to President Joe Biden’s vaccine and testing mandates.

The emerging conservative campaign quickly divided GOP lawmakers, enraged congressional Democrats and threatened to unravel days of delicate bipartisan talks on Capitol Hill, just three days before a current federal spending agreement is set to expire.

“We’re opposed to the mandate,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis. “We don’t want the federal government to be able to fund them in any way shape or form.”

Under Biden’s directive, issued earlier this year, private businesses that employ more than 100 workers must require vaccines or implement a comprehensive testing strategy. The president has imposed similar policies targeting federal employees and military service members, hoping to bring to heel a pandemic that has already killed more than 780,000 Americans.... Read More: Washington Post