WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional leaders in the House and Senate have reached an agreement on a short-term spending deal to avert a government shutdown in the coming weeks. Three sources familiar with the matter confirmed the deal to NBC News. The agreement would keep the government funded until March, buying lawmakers more time to work on longer-term, agency-specific spending bills. Last weekend, an agreement was reached to set the overall spending level for fiscal year 2024 at $1.59 trillion, which paved the way for this new deal.
Under this agreement, funding deadlines for different government departments have been pushed back from January 19 and February 2 to March 1 and March 8. This extension provides a buffer for lawmakers to reach a consensus on various budgets and appropriations.
The short-term bill, known as a continuing resolution or “CR,” must be approved by both the House and Senate before Friday at 11:59 p.m. to avert a partial government shutdown. Speaker Mike Johnson is scheduled to hold a call with fellow House Republicans to discuss the spending negotiations. Some hard-right Republicans have voiced objections to the spending deal previously made with Senate Democrats, pressuring Johnson to backtrack. However, Johnson has affirmed that the agreement stands.
On the other side, several moderate Democrats have expressed their willingness to vote in support of Johnson’s speakership if there were efforts to remove him. In a similar situation last year, Democrats abstained from voting and allowed the removal of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Now, some of those same conservatives are threatening Johnson’s position.
Despite the need for a short-term bill to buy more time for negotiations, congressional Democrats have praised the topline spending agreement. They see it as an important step towards maintaining funding priorities and avoiding a government shutdown. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both New York Democrats, stated their support for the agreement.
In conclusion, House and Senate leaders have struck a deal on a short-term spending bill that would extend government funding until March, alleviating the risk of a shutdown. This agreement provides lawmakers with more time to work on specific spending bills. The bill must be passed by both chambers before Friday to prevent a partial shutdown. Speaker Johnson is facing pressure from hard-right Republicans, while moderate Democrats expressed their support for him. Despite the need for a short-term bill, Democrats are optimistic about the topline spending agreement reached.