Top-line spending deal reached by Congressional leaders paves the way for government funding.

On Sunday, congressional leaders declared a $1.59 trillion spending plan to prevent a possible government shutdown.

In a Sunday note, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana announced that the deal for the 2024 fiscal year sets an overall spending budget of $1.59 trillion, with $886 billion allocated for military spending and $704 billion for non-defense spending.

The Appropriations Committee can now begin negotiating and completing the twelve annual appropriations bills after securing hard-fought concessions, as stated in the letter.

As the House and Senate draw nearer to a crucial Jan. 19 deadline, when federal funding will expire for several agencies, the deal is struck. The government's funding will continue until Feb. 2.

Although the deal facilitates a possible funding decision and indicates that Johnson and Schumer are aligned, a shutdown remains a possibility as the parties persist in their disagreements over crucial policy matters.

Schumer and Jeffries (D-N.Y.) wrote in a Sunday letter that the framework agreement to proceed will help the appropriators tackle major challenges faced by America at home and abroad. Additionally, it will safeguard the investments made by President Biden and Congressional Democrats for hardworking American families.

Johnson acknowledged that the spending levels would not satisfy all parties and did not cut as much as many had hoped for. However, he offers a way to move the process forward by reprioritizing funding within the topline towards conservative objectives, instead of last year's Schumer-Pelosi omnibus. Additionally, Johnson plans to fight for the important policy riders included in the House FY24 bills.

The Inflation Reduction Act includes a $10-billion cut to IRS mandatory funding and $6.1 billion of the "COVID-era slush funds."

Schumer and Jeffries stated that the deal includes $772.7 billion for non-defense discretionary funding, which will protect "veterans benefits, health care, and nutrition assistance from the draconian cuts sought by right-wing extremists."

The upcoming weeks will be the first significant evaluation of Johnson's leadership as Speaker. Following a year in which the Republican-controlled House passed only 27 bills that became laws, this figure represents a historically unproductive rate, halfway through the 118th Congress.

And Johnson’s task is complicated by a shrinking majority.

The absence of Louisiana Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise from Washington reduces the GOP margin to one vote, making it difficult for House Republicans to pass government spending bills along party lines as hardliners in the caucus are likely to oppose any spending deal that does not include drastic cuts.

The absence of Scalise is due to the removal of GOP Rep. George Santos of New York, the departure of Johnson's predecessor, Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California, and his resignation on December 31.

On Sunday, President Biden appeared to support the agreement, which advances the goal of preventing a shutdown while considering the funding levels agreed upon last year.

"It's time for congressional Republicans to fulfill their basic responsibility to fund critical domestic and national security priorities, including my supplemental request, instead of threatening to shut down the government and not doing their job," he said.