Congress nears funding deal with more than $100 billion in disaster aid

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional leaders are nearing the unveiling of an agreement that will keep the federal government funded through March 14 and provide more than $100 billion in emergency aid to help states and local communities recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and other natural disasters. The stopgap measure will prevent a partial government shutdown set to begin after midnight Friday. It kicks final decisions on this budget year’s spending levels to a new Republican-led Congress and to President-elect Donald Trump. Passage of the measure is one of the final must-pass bills that lawmakers will consider this week, before adjourning for the holidays and making way for the next Congress.