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| US Senate's bipartisan spending-hike budget is 'monstrosity' | US Senate's bipartisan spending-hike budget is 'monstrosity' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US budget hawks have labelled a bipartisan plan to hike defence and domestic spending as a debt-ballooning "monstrosity". | US budget hawks have labelled a bipartisan plan to hike defence and domestic spending as a debt-ballooning "monstrosity". |
| Republican Senator Mitch McConnell and his Democratic counterpart Senator Chuck Schumer have agreed to the two-year, $400bn agreement. | |
| The bill needs to pass the Senate and House of Representatives, where it is expected to face opposition. | The bill needs to pass the Senate and House of Representatives, where it is expected to face opposition. |
| It comes on the eve of a deadline to avert another government shutdown. | It comes on the eve of a deadline to avert another government shutdown. |
| Congress has to reach a deal before government funding runs out at midnight on Thursday, when a one-month spending bill is set to expire. | Congress has to reach a deal before government funding runs out at midnight on Thursday, when a one-month spending bill is set to expire. |
| Both Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives have voiced disapproval of the bipartisan bill. | Both Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives have voiced disapproval of the bipartisan bill. |
| Turning on the money tap | Turning on the money tap |
| Analysis by Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington | Analysis by Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington |
| The taps of government spending are open once more - at least if the US Senate gets its way. | The taps of government spending are open once more - at least if the US Senate gets its way. |
| When faced with the question of whether to boost military or domestic spending, Capitol legislators have their answer. Why not both? | When faced with the question of whether to boost military or domestic spending, Capitol legislators have their answer. Why not both? |
| That marks a decided change from the mood seven years ago, when Congress - pressured by conservative factions - felt compelled to address growing budget deficits after the economic collapse of 2008 and subsequent federal emergency stimulus efforts. Republicans and Democrats agreed to harsh fiscal medicine - mandatory spending caps on military and social programmes. | That marks a decided change from the mood seven years ago, when Congress - pressured by conservative factions - felt compelled to address growing budget deficits after the economic collapse of 2008 and subsequent federal emergency stimulus efforts. Republicans and Democrats agreed to harsh fiscal medicine - mandatory spending caps on military and social programmes. |
| Those days are long gone. At the end of 2017, Republicans pushed through a tax-cut plan that added $1.5tn to the 10-year budget deficit. Now it seems likely spending will surge upward as well, despite the Trump administration's promises of an austere budget last year. | Those days are long gone. At the end of 2017, Republicans pushed through a tax-cut plan that added $1.5tn to the 10-year budget deficit. Now it seems likely spending will surge upward as well, despite the Trump administration's promises of an austere budget last year. |
| The Senate compromise still has a perilous path through the US House of Representatives, as fiscal hawks worried about federal spending and liberals angry over the lack of an immigration deal threaten opposition. | The Senate compromise still has a perilous path through the US House of Representatives, as fiscal hawks worried about federal spending and liberals angry over the lack of an immigration deal threaten opposition. |
| With midterm elections looming, however, it's likely that enough legislators on both sides of the aisle will welcome a two-year reprieve after months of shutdown drama. | With midterm elections looming, however, it's likely that enough legislators on both sides of the aisle will welcome a two-year reprieve after months of shutdown drama. |
| Mr Schumer argued the budget would "break the long cycle of spending crises". | Mr Schumer argued the budget would "break the long cycle of spending crises". |
| But a number of his fellow Democrats are upset that the bill does not address immigration. | But a number of his fellow Democrats are upset that the bill does not address immigration. |
| His House of Representatives equivalent, Nancy Pelosi, railed about the issue for more than six hours on the chamber floor on Wednesday. | |
| She vowed to oppose any budget that does not include protections for so-called Dreamers, young immigrants who entered the US illegally as children. | She vowed to oppose any budget that does not include protections for so-called Dreamers, young immigrants who entered the US illegally as children. |
| Congressional historians believe the California lawmaker's speech is the longest in the history of the lower chamber. | Congressional historians believe the California lawmaker's speech is the longest in the history of the lower chamber. |
| Conservative Republicans are also up in arms about the bill's ramifications for the US federal debt. | Conservative Republicans are also up in arms about the bill's ramifications for the US federal debt. |
| When asked if he supported the bill, Alabama Republican Mo Brooks said: "I'm not only a no. I'm a hell no." | When asked if he supported the bill, Alabama Republican Mo Brooks said: "I'm not only a no. I'm a hell no." |
| Mr Brooks, a member of the Freedom Caucus, a congressional group of budget hawks, dubbed the bill a "debt junkie's dream". | Mr Brooks, a member of the Freedom Caucus, a congressional group of budget hawks, dubbed the bill a "debt junkie's dream". |
| He called his fellow Republicans the party of "big spending" and "big government". | He called his fellow Republicans the party of "big spending" and "big government". |
| Dave Brat from Virginia agreed, calling the bill a "Christmas tree on steroids". | Dave Brat from Virginia agreed, calling the bill a "Christmas tree on steroids". |
| Freedom Caucus leader Jim Jordan, of Ohio, said the agreement was a "monstrosity", which he found hard to believe had emanated from his own party. | Freedom Caucus leader Jim Jordan, of Ohio, said the agreement was a "monstrosity", which he found hard to believe had emanated from his own party. |
| Deficits are already projected to climb because of the Trump administration's tax cuts, which were approved by Congress in December. | Deficits are already projected to climb because of the Trump administration's tax cuts, which were approved by Congress in December. |
| White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders praised the Senate bill, saying "we're certainly happy with the way it's moving". | White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders praised the Senate bill, saying "we're certainly happy with the way it's moving". |
| But she did not say whether President Donald Trump would sign it into law. | But she did not say whether President Donald Trump would sign it into law. |
| "The budget deal should be a budget deal," she told a news conference, dismissing Democratic demands that it include a deal on immigration. | "The budget deal should be a budget deal," she told a news conference, dismissing Democratic demands that it include a deal on immigration. |
| Officials at the White House say the deal would also increase the debt ceiling until March 2019. | Officials at the White House say the deal would also increase the debt ceiling until March 2019. |
| The Senate bill, which has not yet been publicly unveiled, reportedly increases defence spending by $80bn in the first fiscal year and $85bn in the second. | The Senate bill, which has not yet been publicly unveiled, reportedly increases defence spending by $80bn in the first fiscal year and $85bn in the second. |
| Non-defence spending, such as a programme to provide health insurance for children, would reportedly increase by $63bn this year, and $68bn next year. | Non-defence spending, such as a programme to provide health insurance for children, would reportedly increase by $63bn this year, and $68bn next year. |