Washington (CNN) -- (CNN) -- The words
"budget" and "compromise" haven't been connected in
Congress in recent years.
But legislators stunned
observers and perhaps each other this week when Republicans and Democrats
proved that they can, indeed, agree on government spending.
Republican Rep. Paul Ryan and
Democratic Sen. Patty Murray worked out a budget framework to fund the
government into 2015.
The House approved the compromise agreement Thursday.
The measure now goes to the Senate, where it is expected to pass as early as
next week. The White House supports the proposal.
It was the first full budget
agreement by a divided Congress -- in which different parties control the House
and Senate -- since 1986, Ryan boasted in announcing the deal.
After years of bruising
political fights over spending and the federal borrowing limit, dysfunction
reigned supreme in October when the government shut down for 16 days.
A short-term spending plan got
it going again, but a CNN/ORC International poll found that 71% of Americans
thought another shutdown would occur when the money ran out in January.
Instead, such repeated budget
brinksmanship would be put on hold if Congress passes the Ryan-Murray proposal.
While neither side loves the compromise legislation, it appears to be on a path
to approval.
So, what changed this time?
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