"Congressional Leaders Reach Bipartisan Spending Deal to Avert Shutdown"

Congressional leaders in the US have reached a $1.59 trillion spending deal, sparking a race to pass the bills before a potential government shutdown. The agreement sets a Jan. 19 deadline for the first set of bills to move through Congress and a Feb. 2 deadline for the remainder. Disagreements persist over defense and non-defense spending figures, with hardline House Republicans criticizing the deal. President Biden and top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell expressed encouragement, while the chaotic year in Congress has seen struggles over funding and leadership changes.