WASHINGTON
House and Senate negotiators agreed to a $1.1 trillion plan to fund the government just two days before federal agencies face another shutdown.
In a joint statement House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers and Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Barbara A. Mikulski said the agreement was “responsible, bipartisan and bicameral.”
“This bill fulfills our constitutional duty to fund the government, preventing damage from shutdown politics that are bad for the economy, cost jobs and hurt middle class families,” the chairs said.
Lawmakers were expected to release the plan at the beginning of the week, but political wrangling continued through Tuesday evening, raising fears that a short-term spending bill that would have extended Thursday’s deadline by a few days would be required.
While the House and Senate will still have to pass the respective legislation House Speaker John Boehner is expected to hold a vote Thursday, giving the Senate little time for debate.
The bill funds the government through Sept. 30, 2015, and adheres to strict spending caps demanded by fiscal conservatives. Nearly all of the government aside from the Department of Homeland Security will be funded normally.
Funding for that department will run out Feb. 27, which could provide a political opportunity for Republicans who took issue with President Barack Obama’s use of executive actions to expand protections to about five million undocumented immigrants.
As this Congress prepares to adjourn in a few days, the incoming Congress at the start of next year will see Republicans take control of both houses for the first time since 2007.
www.aa.com.tr/en
