With only days to spare before the government shutdown deadline, members of the House and Senate released a bipartisan agreement on government funding. The agreement, if approved, would prevent an appropriations shutdown and ensure that essential federal services can continue. The current administration has been in a standoff over government funding since the start of the year, after the president vetoed a bill that included legislation increasing government spending and providing aid for the nation’s southern border. However, the House and Senate seek to avert a shutdown with their agreement. The new agreement largely embraces a version of the Senate Majority Leader’s original plan, a two-year spending package that would increase spending by $320 billion. It will also provide additional funds for border security and increase the nation’s debt ceiling beyond the current $22 trillion mark. The agreement has received support and backing from both sides of the aisle. Speaking on the agreement, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that it would “honor our priorities and reinforce our values.” In addition, it has earned praise from key figures in the president’s administration. Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin had this to say about the agreement: “This agreement is a key step forward in our nation’s path to fiscal responsibility and economic growth. The bill still needs to be approved by the Senate and House of Representatives and then sent to the president’s desk before it can become a law. The White House has not yet commented on the agreement, but the previous governmental impasse has caused many people to cast a wary eye on it. The overall spending bill will still need to be reconciled with the financial appropriations coming from the previous government shutdown. Still, this latest agreement will prevent any further budget impasses and keep the nation’s government running. The agreement between the House and Senate represents an important milestone in resolving the nation’s financial crisis and averting a government shutdown. If approved, the two-year spending package will be the first significant tax and spending deal since 2018. While the details of the agreement are still being finalized, one thing is certain: the bipartisan effort to prevent a government shutdown should be applauded.