This week, the House of Representatives will vote to keep the federal government funded beyond February 8; when the short-term spending bill that ended last month's shutdown expires. Lawmakers will likely pass another short-term spending bill — the fifth since September 30 — to keep the government functioning. But there is a renewed sense of urgency that a final budget, and not just another continuing resolution, is needed.
While many lawmakers have been involved in budget negotiations, a few have had an outsize influence. Here are five of the key players who have impacted this year's ongoing legislative drama:
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