Politics

Spending compromise will keep government operating through March

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Top lawmakers on Capitol Hill have agreed on a short-term spending measure to keep government operating through March while a new Congress works on a budget for the rest of the fiscal, year, the Senate’s Republican leader said Sunday.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid agreed on a three-month “continuing resolution” after a $1.27 trillion omnibus bill failed a Senate vote last week.

Republicans pulled out of a deal to wrap up the 12 spending measures that were supposed to be enacted by Sept. 30 after news that more than 6,000 earmarks worth $8 billion were included in the omnibus.

McConnell argued Sunday that he had agreed to the funding limit for the omnibus bill, but the legislation contained too many items that didn’t go through the proper vetting process, including funding for President Obama’s health care law hated by Republicans.

Full story: McConnell: Short-Term Budget Bill Will Last Into March