Republicans are pitching the strategy as a way of avoiding a politically damaging shutdown fight while giving President Trump more power to go around Congress and set funding levels himself.

Congress has less than two weeks to extend a federal funding deadline, but lawmakers are arguing over whether the White House will really spend the money they approve.

As Washington hurtles toward another government-shutdown deadline on March 14, markets are responding with their usual mild anxiety. But this time may be different — and the real risk isn’t about which agencies close or how long federal workers go without paychecks.