US congressional leaders agree on stopgap funding bill -reports

FILE PHOTO: The U.S. Capitol Dome is illuminated in Washington, U.S., June 1, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo

(Reuters) – U.S. congressional leaders have agreed on a two-tranche stopgap spending bill to keep the federal government funded into March and avert a partial government shutdown starting late next week, U.S. media reported on Saturday.

Politico, CNN and Punchbowl reported that congressional leaders have agreed on what is called a “continuing resolution” or “CR,” that would fund the government – extending two deadlines through March 1 and March 8. The media outlets reported that House of Representatives Republicans will unveil the plan Sunday night.

Funding expires on Jan. 19 for some federal agencies, including the Department of Transportation, while others like the Defense Department face a Feb. 2 deadline.

The top Democrat and Republican in Congress reached a $1.59 trillion deal on Jan. 7 to fund the government through the current fiscal year, but if they fail to pass it by Jan. 19, parts of the federal government would begin to shut down.

Some lawmakers have said a short-term funding bill was needed to allow bipartisan negotiators from the House and Senate time to agree on full-year fiscal 2024 spending bills and for Congress to enact the legislation.

On Thursday, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer took the first procedural step to pass a stopgap funding bill through the Senate early next week to give lawmakers more time to pass the full-year bill.

The United States came close to a partial government shutdown last autumn amid opposition by the hardline House Republicans who ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy over reaching a bipartisan stopgap spending deal with Schumer.

A representative for House Speaker Mike Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; editing by Diane Craft and Will Dunham)