US lawmakers reach tentative deal to avoid government shutdown
(VOVWORLD) - Democrats and Republicans have reached an agreement in principle over border security to fund the US government and avert another partial shutdown.
The agreement contains only a fraction of the money President Donald Trump wants for his promised border wall and does not mention a concrete barrier. The deal still needs to be approved by Congress and signed by the president. Speaking later, President Trump did not say whether he would back it. The Democrats - who now control the House of Representatives - have refused to approve 5.7 billion USD for Trump's wall on the border with Mexico, one of his key campaign pledges. Lawmakers expressed optimism that a bill would be approved by Friday when funding runs out for some federal agencies. The previous shutdown - the longest in US history - lasted 35 days and cost the US economy 11 billion USD.