Congress Reaches Tentative Deal to Prevent Government Shutdown

U.S. congressional negotiators forged a temporary funding bill to prevent a government shutdown, allotting $100 billion for disaster relief and $10 billion for farmers. The bill is expected to be voted on soon, aiming to keep the federal budget largely unchanged and address spending-revenue discrepancies.

In a crucial move to avert a government shutdown, U.S. congressional negotiators have struck a provisional deal on a stopgap funding measure, aiming to keep the federal budget largely intact. The agreement includes around $100 billion in disaster relief and $10 billion designated for farmers, according to Republican lawmakers.

The proposed legislation is expected to be introduced in the House of Representatives imminently and could be voted on within the week. After passage in the Senate, it would be sent to President Joe Biden for signing into law. This measure is set to maintain the $6.2 trillion federal budget at its current level, encompassing a range of expenditures from military operations to financial regulators.

Despite bipartisan efforts spearheaded by House Speaker Mike Johnson, not all voices are united. While Democrats urge careful review of the deal, some Republicans, like Representative Chip Roy, express skepticism about the spending approach. Nonetheless, the bill also addresses critical aid for farmers as well as funding for natural disaster recovery.

(With inputs from agencies.)