Scoop: GOP blowing deadline on spending talks

Top Senate negotiators are privately warning that talks about a government spending deal are way behind schedule.

Why it matters: Without significant progress, the GOP trifecta will need another spending stopgap or a much-despised omnibus spending package.

Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) — the top two Senate appropriators — told colleagues they're worried spending talks have taken a back seat to reconciliation planning, sources tell Axios.
Collins, for her part, has warned colleagues to not lose sight of the 2025 appropriations process, with the March deadline speeding nearer.
Talks between the House and Senate over a spending deal only recently began.

Zoom in: The current spending deal expires on March 14.

The GOP's worst-case scenario: A shutdown when Republicans control the whole government.

The bottom line: The House and Senate need to bridge a $30-plus billion gap in their spending wishes. They aren't close.