Congress Inching Towards Spending Deal But Immigration Dispute Still Threatens Shutdown
• House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader moving closer to agreement on overall federal spending levels • Reaching a spending deal is the first step, but does not guarantee averting a shutdown • Funding bills or a continuing resolution needed next to actually fund government and prevent shutdown • House Republicans calling for provisions to clamp down on immigration, threatening shutdown • Key deadlines are January 19 for some agencies and February 2 for others like Pentagon and Homeland Security