Congressional Leaders Reach Deal to Avert Government Shutdown

The top Republican and Democrat in the U.S. Congress have reached a deal to fund the government through the fiscal year, with the last hurdle being funding for the Department of Homeland Security. The agreement, covering about three-quarters of discretionary government spending, is still being finalized and must be passed before the weekend shutdown deadline. However, more battles are expected as the nation's national debt continues to rise, and there are disagreements over foreign security aid and funding levels.