Congressional negotiators say they have reached bipartisan border deal to avert shutdown

Congressional negotiators on Monday night reached a bipartisan spending deal to avert another government shutdown — and it doesn’t earmark one dime for the construction of President Trump’s long-promised border wall with Mexico, said sources familiar with the matter.

The breakthrough puts immense pressure on the President, who has insisted he won’t sign any budget that doesn’t earmark at least $5.7 billion for his coveted border barrier — a stubborn demand that in December resulted in a record 35-day federal shutdown that stretched to January 25.