Senate leaders, with input from House leadership, have been working on a two-year budget deal that would also avert a government shutdown this week. NBC News is reporting they've struck a deal, allowing for a short-term spending bill to last until March 23, then the follow up two-year budget deal.
The measure, negotiated between Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, increases domestic spending by $63 billion and military spending by $80 billion for the next two years. If it gains enough support, it could make this fifth short-term spending deal the final one for the year. The measure would also extend disaster relief, funding for community health centers and opioid treatment, all priorities for Democrats.
McConnell and Schumer are expected to announce the deal as early as today. […]
Even with a broader spending deal, Congress would still have to pass a short-term spending bill by midnight on Thursday because the new agreement doesn't actually fund the government but creates the top-line spending levels that enables them to write the appropriations bills. That process takes at least one month and the stop-gap bill would give them more time to do that.
House Republicans are meeting early Wednesday afternoon to discuss the deal. The Freedom Caucus is already raising hell, with Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) saying "I'm afraid that the deal that they're going to announce, Chuck Schumer will be very happy about that, the Freedom Caucus members won't." Meadow's binary view of wins and losses clearly leaves no room for actual governing, so here's where Paul Ryan is going to have to make a decision. He's generally allowed the maniacs to prevail, but there are larger forces against him this time. Like actually doing his constitutional duty.
House Democrats are adding to the pressure on Ryan. Nancy Pelosi announced during a two-and-a-half-plus (now well into hour three) floor speech Wednesday morning, that she and many Democrats would not support this budget caps deal until Ryan commits to allowing an immigration bill, open to amendments, on the floor. "This morning, we took a measure of our Caucus because the package does nothing to advance bipartisan legislation to protect 'Dreamers' in the House," Pelosi said. "Without a commitment from Speaker Ryan, comparable to the commitment from Leader McConnell, this package does not have my support."
Ryan's spokesperson, AshLee Strong tried to deflect that demand, saying that "Speaker Ryan has already repeatedly stated we intend to do a DACA and immigration reform bill—one that the president supports." Which is not the same thing. Ryan will only allow a bill that he knows Trump will sign—call it the Trump Rule, now replacing the old Hastert Rule that required any bill to have majority Republican support. Pelosi wants Ryan to agree to bringing a bill under a rule that would allow for amendments, saying a bipartisan bill would pass. "Let the House work its will," she told Ryan. "Why should the House of Representatives be constrained?"