An insider with knowledge of the talks told AFP on Saturday that congressional leaders in Washington have come to an agreement to fund the government until the first part of March.
Just before the deadlines of January 19 and February 2, when government agencies would have run out of money under the two-tranche approach, the idea was announced.
According to the source, Congress will have time to agree on more detailed budget and spending plans as the short-term bill, also known as a continuing resolution, will keep the government operating until March 1 and 8.
In order to prevent a government shutdown, the continuing resolution must be approved by both chambers of Congress.
The US Congress reached a consensus on funding levels for the fiscal year 2024, a decision that established a nearly $1.6 trillion “topline” government spending cap, last weekend.
The agreement, which was made public by Democratic leaders in Congress and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, calls for an increase in Pentagon spending to approximately $886 billion as well as an increase in non-defense discretionary budget to roughly $773 billion.
The US government frequently uses stop-gap funding mechanisms to remain operational in the face of constant political disagreements about how to allocate funds and address the nation’s growing debt.
