US Congress strikes spending deal in step to averting shutdown

The news: US congressional leaders have agreed on a USD1.6 trillion ($2.4 trillion) top-line federal spending level in a deal aimed at averting a partial government shutdown later this month, Reuters reports.

The numbers: Republican US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said in a letter to lawmakers that the top-line figure includes USD886 billion for defence and USD704 billion for non-defence spending. The top-line spending level of USD1.59 trillion for 2024 was the amount originally agreed to by President Joe Biden and then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during negotiations last year.

The context: The non-defence discretionary funding will "protect key domestic priorities like veterans benefits, healthcare and nutrition assistance" from cuts sought by some Republicans, according to a joint statement from Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The agreement will allow House and Senate lawmakers to begin working on the text of individual spending bills.

What they said: Biden said the deal moved the country one step closer to "preventing a needless government shutdown and protecting important national priorities."