Negotiations Continue on Big-Ticket Policy Items Rolled Into the Government Funding Bill

Congress is attempting to craft a funding bill that has lots of big issues tied up in it -- including immigration, children's health insurance and more. Lawmakers need to get this done soon -- the current (temporary) bill only funds the government until January 19. NPR congressional reporter Kelsey Snell reports whether a shutdown could happen over this and other news from the Hill.

@kelsey_snell says people are telling her lawmakers are hoping to have a breakthrough today on these budget talks, but it's possible they'll stretch into next week.

— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) January 9, 2018

Brian asks if people are seeing the potential for a DACA deal by next Friday -- @NPR's @kelsey_snell says "it would be difficult," and they may go for another short-term deal to buy some more time to work on DACA.

— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) January 9, 2018

There are people who raise the specter of a gov't shutdown, but @kelsey_snell says it's not really the type of conversation that people on the Hill are having. Dems want to be able to say 'we ran the gov't, even in difficult times.'

— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) January 9, 2018

Not all Republicans in Congress support building a border wall -- in fact, @kelsey_snell says it doesn't even have particularly wide support on the Hill.

— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) January 9, 2018