Report: Bipartisan Agreement Reached to Avert Shutdown

A bipartisan agreement was reached “in principle” late Monday to avert an upcoming government shutdown. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) told reporters that House and Senate negotiators agreed on border security funding and said he “hopes” the White House will support the deal. According to the Wall Street Journal, both Shelby and Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) said congressional aides are now working out the details. Citing a congressional official, The Washington Post reports that the deal includes Democrats dropping a call for a new cap on ICE detention beds, the overall detention beds cap dropping from 49,057 to 40,520, and $1.375 billion being allocated for border barriers—or 55 miles of new fencing. Without a deal, funding for the government would expire at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday and cause another shutdown.