Article snippet: Top negotiators are set to meet Tuesday to try to break a stalemate over funding the government. Congress has until Nov. 21 to prevent the second shutdown of the year after a 35-day partial closure that ended in February. They’re eyeing another stopgap bill to give appropriators more time, sources told The Hill on Monday, with a potential end date between Dec. 13 and Dec. 20. The likelihood that lawmakers punt comes as they remain stuck over major details in the fiscal 2020 bills, including top-line figures known as 302(b)s and money for Lawmakers hope getting the top members of the House and Senate appropriations committees in a room together will pave the way for an agreement. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Sen. “One meeting could certainly direct the staff to decide this in a day at the most,” he added. They have a track record of being able to untangle sticky funding fights, including the deal that ended the partial government shutdown in February. “I’d just like to get it wrapped up. If our respective caucuses said, ‘Well, why don’t you guys work it out,’ we’d have something done in a matter of hours,” Leahy said. But the group also needs buy-in from leadership in both parties and Trump, who is seen as the wild card in the fight. Both Senate Majority Leader Shelby pointed to the wall funding and the disagreement over 302(b) figures, which set the top line for each of the 12 2020 spending bills, as the major hurdles to a deal. “We’re ... Link to the full article to read more
Congress hunts for path out of spending stalemate | TheHill
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