Bipartisan budget deal reached to avoid shutdown

WASHINGTON—Republican and Democratic leaders announced Wednesday an end to the spending stalemate and a deal to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year while setting spending caps for the next two years. The bipartisan agreement eliminates the mandatory spending caps set under the Budget Control Act of 2011 by increasing both defense spending and domestic programs. Under Wednesday’s agreement, the Defense Department would get an additional $80 billion above the previous cap level, and lawmakers would allocate an additional $60 billion for the nation’s domestic budget. Immigration reform, a sticking point in previous budget debates, was not included in Wednesday’s agreement, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., promised Democrats he would allow an open immigration debate that’s fair to both sides. “This deal is a genuine breakthrough,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor. “This is a first real sprout of genuine bipartisanship.” Democrats wanted a dollar-for-dollar match for domestic programs with increases to the defense budget, but Republicans helped sweeten the deal by including additional funds for community health centers and increases for Medicaid and Medicare. Some Republicans in the House expressed frustration with the spending increases and said they might vote against the bill, but the increased support from Democrats will likely ensure its passage. The White House also said it supports the deal. The government is currently operating under its fourth continuing budget resolution, which expires Thursday at midnight.