Congressional leaders announce an agreement on spending levels, a key step to averting shutdown

“This represents the most favorable budget agreement Republicans have achieved in over a decade,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a letter Sunday. The agreement could help avoid a partial government shutdown this month. (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON — Congressional leaders have reached an agreement on overall spending levels for the current fiscal year that could help avoid a partial government shutdown later this month.

The agreement largely hews to spending caps for defense and domestic programs that Congress set as part of a bill to suspend the debt limit until 2025. But it does provide some concessions to House Republicans who viewed the spending restrictions in that agreement as insufficient.