Senate reaches budget deal as shutdown looms

Senate reaches budget deal as shutdown looms
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) unveiled a two-year budget deal, a major victory for both parties that could prevent a government shutdown at the end of this week. But the plan still needs to pass the House, where it's already facing strong headwinds. The deal would boost military and non-defense spending by $300 billion over the next two years as well as and more than $80 billion in disaster relief. About $160 billion would go to the Pentagon and about $128 billion would to non-defense programs. The agreement includes spending on a variety of other needs, including disaster aid to respond to recent natural disasters. Some congressional negotiators also wanted to include a hike in the debt limit, which the US is expected to hit next month, though the exact parameters were still being negotiated when the deal was announced.