WASHINGTON — The White House is preparing to direct federal agencies to get ready for a shutdown after House Republicans left town for the weekend with no plan to keep the government funded.

House Democrats released a bipartisan short-term spending bill to keep the government open after midnight Dec. 3 and plan to put it to a House vote later Dec. 2.

The House passed a nine-week spending bill to avert a U.S. government shutdown hours before it was set to begin on an 254-175 vote. The legislation passed the Senate earlier Sept. 30 and was signed by President Joe Biden.

Agencies at the U.S. Department of Transportation and throughout the federal government will continue to operate through Dec. 20 after President Donald Trump signed a monthlong funding bill the Senate passed Nov. 21.

The Federal Reserve is keeping a close eye on economic data as it “assesses the appropriate path” for monetary policy, but the central bank and traders in financial markets may find their vision blurred if Washington gridlock spurs yet another government shutdown later this month.

Sentiment among U.S. small businesses slumped in January to the lowest level since Donald Trump became president as the economic outlook weakened amid the longest-ever U.S. government shutdown.

The truce between congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump on Jan. 25 halting the longest federal government shutdown in history meant more than 16,000 staffers at the U.S. Department of Transportation will no longer be furloughed.

The U.S. Treasury Department is ready for the tax season and will pay tax refunds “as normal,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told Fox Business News on Jan. 29.

Congress voted to end the 35-day partial government shutdown after President Donald Trump capitulated to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and agreed to reopen federal agencies without any guarantee of money for his proposed border wall.