"Congress Unveils Bipartisan Plan to Fund Government and Avoid Shutdown"

Congressional leaders have released a package of six spending bills in an effort to avoid a partial government shutdown, with hopes to complete votes on the package this week and continue negotiations on the remaining six annual spending bills before a March 22 deadline. The package represents less than 30% of the discretionary spending Congress aims to approve for this year and includes key policy and spending wins for conservatives, despite some House Republicans considering the changes inadequate. Democrats have staved off most of the policy riders that House Republicans sought to include, while achieving some policy wins of their own.