Budget Deal May Be Close

After weeks of acrimonious and partisan negotiations, Republicans and the White House may finally be nearing an agreement on a budget for the next year, reports CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer.

It will be a budget that contains more money for education, as the president wanted, and more money for the security of U.S. embassies abroad.

The Senate was essentially in recess, waiting for the budget talks to end, while the House ran through dozens of less controversial bills. Without a budget deal, lawmakers can't leave for their districts and begin campaigning for the November 3 election.

If no final agreement is reached by midnight Wednesday, Congress and the White House must enact a fourth temporary spending bill to keep the government open. The 1999 fiscal year began October 1.

The bill lumps together eight of the 13 spending bills that are needed to run the federal government but that have not been passed and signed by Clinton. The omnibus bill includes programs ranging from national parks to catching criminals. But the focus all week has been on which party cares more about education.