Lawmakers Reach Deal to Avert Partial Government Shutdown This Weekend

Leaders said they will hold votes on a stopgap bill this week to avoid any lapse in government funding, followed by votes next month on full-year spending bills. On Wednesday, congressional leaders said negotiators had come to an agreement in principle on the contents of six bills that fund the departments of Agriculture, Justice, Interior, Veterans Affairs and other federal agencies, with a new deadline to vote on those bills by March 8. The leaders said the fiscal year 2024 spending levels in those bills would adhere to the bipartisan agreement reached last year, tied to a deal raising the federal government’s debt ceiling. The leaders said the House and Senate will vote this week to pass a short-term stopgap bill to give lawmakers “adequate time” to execute the deal in principle, including drafting and other technical matters, and to allow members 72 hours to review any legislative text.