Negotiators race to finish government funding bills after reaching deal on Homeland Security bill

By KEVIN FREKING
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Negotiators from Congress and the White House are scrambling to complete work on funding government agencies for the fiscal year and avoid a partial shutdown that could begin this weekend. Lawmakers passed the first portion of spending bills in early March, funding about 30% of the government. Now it’s focused on the larger package. Negotiators have reached agreement on five of the six spending bills needed, but they clashed on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which is responsible for securing and managing U.S. borders. A person familiar with the negotiations but not authorized to discuss them publicly said late Monday that a deal had been reached on the Homeland Security spending.