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updated 10:20 AM UTC, Dec 13, 2023

Negotiators Reach Agreement In Principle To Avoid Another Government Shutdown

ABC News: Emerging from a closed-door meeting late Monday night on Capitol Hill, the top four negotiators charged with hammering out a deal to avert another partial government shutdown announced: “We reached an agreement in principle.”

Details of the agreement have not been released, but Congressional sources told ABC News that it includes $1.375 billion for physical barriers at the southern border.

President Trump had requested more than $5 billion for his prized border wall.

It’s unclear at this point if Trump will accept this new deal.

The tentative agreement comes just four days ahead of another potential partial government shutdown.

The bipartisan deal was negotiated by members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

Sen. Richard Shelby, R-AL, told reporters that the agreement will also address all seven spending bills that expired during the last partial government shutdown.

“Our staffs going to be working feverishly to put all the particulars together and that’s all we can tell you now without getting into numbers and everything,” Shelby said. “But it’s something that is the product of all of our work and we believe if this becomes law, of course it would open the government.”

“Not a single one of us is going to get every single thing we want,” Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT, said. “Nobody does. But we’re going to get what is best for the United States.”

“I think everyone will say: ‘good work,'” Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, added.
Rep. Nita Lowey, D-NY, said the legislative text of the agreement will be done as soon as they can get it, hopefully by Wednesday.

“Some people may think it’s a great deal. Some may feel differently. But we did it together,” she said.
Asked if the White House supports the deal, Shelby said: “We think so, we hope so.”

The deal does not address disaster relief.

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