Leaders in Congress have clinched a deal on overall budget totals that could ensure the government stays funded and open throughout this year.
The bipartisan agreement comes weeks before the end of the last stopgap funding bill passed after Speaker Mike Johnson assumed his role in the House.
The deal sets defense funding at $886 billion for the current fiscal year, and non-defense funding will be at nearly $773 billion.
Now, the language of the bill remains the only point of contention, as lawmakers have 12 days to finalize and pass the legislation, as numerous federal agencies will run out of money on Jan. 19 and the rest of the government on Feb. 2.
While the deal from Congressional leaders is a positive step in the right direction, a shutdown remains a possibility, with several issues remaining unresolved, like what to do at the border.
In a letter to House lawmakers on Sunday, Speaker Johnson celebrated the deal, highlighting the $16 billion in spending cuts he negotiated beyond the previous debt agreements, Politico reported.
Still, Johnson could be found in a similar position as his Republican predecessor, as the funding is still much higher than the ceiling fiscal conservatives wanted.
Johnson acknowledged this in his letter, saying that funding levels “will not satisfy everyone, and they do not cut as much spending as many of us would like,” but added that the deal was “the most favorable budget agreement Republicans have achieved in over a decade.”
Lawmakers are expected to begin discussing the finalities of the text on Monday as the shutdown inches nearer.