By Richard Cowan and David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -With less than two weeks to go before a March 14 deadline, Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress appear to be nowhere close to a deal to avert a government shutdown that would throw Washington into deeper turmoil.

Federal funding dries up at the end of the day on March 14. Lawmakers acknowledge that passing full appropriations bills are unlikely given the time crunch, and they are preparing a funding extension known as a continuing resolution, referred to in Washington as a CR, in the hopes of buying more time.

Democrats and Republicans are already pointing fingers over a potential government shutdown next month. Republicans may pass a short-term extension of last year's federal funding.