A $1.1-trillion budget deal was reached by House and Senate negotiators last night that will fund most of the federal government through September of next year.  The Department of Homeland Security was funded only through February 27, setting up a showdown on immigration in a GOP-controlled Congress. Reuters: As the funding deadline loomed, Republicans successfully negotiated a number of policy provisions into the measure, including easing of regulations ranging from the environment to financial derivatives trading. The measure was expected to be put to a House of Representatives vote on Thursday. But to enable Senate passage, a short-term extension of one or two days was being prepared, congressional aides said. "This bill will allow us to fulfill our constitutional duty to responsibly fund the federal government and avoid a shutdown," House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers said in a statement. The measure largely keeps unchanged fiscal...(Read Full Post)