Lawmakers Said To Be Close to Agreeing on Short-Term Budget Deal

Would eliminate budget sequester

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- House and Senate lawmakers are near an agreement that could end Washington's government shutdowns and some across-the-board spending cuts, aides said.

The deal, which aides said still faced partisan hurdles, could be worked out by the end of the week, congressional aides and lobbyists told the Wall Street Journal.

It would be a small, short-term deal -- nothing close to the bipartisan "grand bargain" budget lawmakers have long said they wanted -- but it would be a major step toward moving past recent budget showdowns, the aides said.