Congress and White House Reach Tentative Budget Deal

NY TIMES




WASHINGTON POST

The 144-page bill, which is the result of weeks of negotiations between the White House and Congressional leaders, would increase spending by $80 billion over two years and would increase the federal borrowing limit through March 15, 2017. A Wednesday vote all but ensures the budget deal will be one of the last acts for House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) who intends to step down from the speakership by Friday.

The timeline is tight for building support for the plan with the Treasury Department saying the debt ceiling will be hit by Nov. 3. The legislation is expected to be the primary issue discussed on Tuesday morning during a weekly closed-door meeting of House Republicans.

But it remains unclear if House conservatives will support the deal, leaving Boehner and his allies to spend his final days in office rallying support for a potentially unpopular agreement. If he is successful the deal could clear the slate for House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) who is expected to be elected speaker later this week.