Congress Announces Deal to Avoid Shutdown, Resolving Dispute

WASHINGTON — In a significant development on Tuesday, Congressional leaders and President Joe Biden announced a breakthrough agreement to fund the government, thereby averting a looming shutdown. The resolution came after intense negotiations centered around the contentious Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding, which had been a major sticking point in discussions.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in a statement early Tuesday, revealed that an agreement had been reached regarding DHS funding, enabling Congress to proceed with appropriations for the remainder of the fiscal year, ending in September. "House and Senate committees have begun drafting bill text to be prepared for release and consideration by the full House and Senate," Johnson stated, marking a pivotal moment in the negotiations that had previously been deadlocked.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., echoed Johnson's sentiments, highlighting the bipartisan effort to finalize the text and reports for Congress's review and consideration. Schumer emphasized the urgency of the situation, with funding set to expire Saturday morning for a host of critical departments including State, Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, and Health and Human Services.

The deal, confirmed by three sources familiar with the talks, includes a full-year DHS funding bill, moving away from the stopgap measures that had been under consideration. This development comes as a relief, given the deep divisions between Republicans and Democrats over the Homeland Security bill, which had threatened to derail the funding process.

President Biden lauded the agreement, stating, "We have come to an agreement with Congressional leaders on a path forward for the remaining full-year funding bills." He assured swift action on his part, promising to sign the package immediately upon its arrival on his desk.

The negotiations had been fraught with challenges, particularly over the weekend when it seemed a separate package might be released to fund DHS on an extended stopgap basis. However, renewed efforts to negotiate a full-year funding bill for the department through the end of September bore fruit, leading to Tuesday's announcement.

A source familiar with the negotiations disclosed that the White House and Democrats had been advocating for increased border security and enforcement, while Republicans sought to reprioritize DHS funds towards the agency's core mission. The specifics of these negotiations remain under wraps, but the consensus reached marks a significant step towards ensuring the government's continued operation.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., highlighted the collaborative effort, noting that the DHS provision was negotiated between the White House and GOP, leading to an agreement in principle for the six remaining fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills.

This agreement comes against the backdrop of political tensions surrounding immigration policy, with the political salience of the issue presenting a potential landmine for Speaker Johnson. Despite opposition from hard-right members of the Freedom Caucus, the bipartisan coalition necessary to pass the bill appears to be intact, averting a partial government shutdown and ensuring the federal government remains funded.