Republican and Democratic leaders in the U.S. Congress spent the weekend discussing alternatives to avoid the first government shutdown since 2018.

If lawmakers don't approve by Sept. 30 legislation to fund government activities in the next fiscal year, several federal branches will have no money to continue operating.

It could mean furloughs in Social Security, no paychecks for millions of federal workers and impacts such as closed parks and even flight delays.

The House of Representatives has so far failed to pass regular spending bills. Far-right Republicans are blocking the approval of the bills and pushing for more budget cuts.

Former President Donald Trump supports shutting down the government. President Joe Biden blamed the situation "on a small group of extreme Republicans."

"Funding the government is one of the most basic responsibilities of Congress," Biden said at a Saturday dinner for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. "It's time for Republicans to start doing the job America elected them to do."

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) plans to push a plan this week to advance some spending bill and get support from the opposing group within his party.

"We never give up," McCarthy told MSNBC in an interview Sunday. "I think we'll be able to work through this."

The Senate is also discussing alternatives. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) scheduled for Tuesday evening a vote on a short-term spending plan. If that passes, McCarthy could bring it up for a vote in the House.

"I'm still optimistic that, once the Senate acts in a bipartisan, adult and mature way that cares about the American people, maybe the House will follow our example," Schumer told CNN in an interview. "Speaker McCarthy just needs to realize that following these hard-right people is like following people over a cliff."