Congressional appropriators reach budget deal as funding deadline looms

Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Congressional negotiators reached a deal in principle on Thursday on a dozen appropriation bills a week before they must pass legislation to fund the government and avoid a shutdown.

The bipartisan group of four appropriators reached a $1.37 trillion agreement including 12 spending bills after a day of negotiations aimed at preventing another government shutdown if funding is not appropriated before Dec. 20.

Senate appropriations committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and House appropriations committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., and the two ranking members on their committees held meetings with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin as they worked to reach the deal Thursday.

Blair Taylor, a spokeswoman for Shelby, told CNBC the appropriators were finalizing the details of the agreement, which were not immediately clear.

The House hopes to vote on the appropriations bills early next week to ensure the Senate has enough time to send the legislation to President Donald Trump before funding lapses.

House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland said he hoped the House could vote on the bills by Tuesday.