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Trump administration bargainers offered a one-year budget freeze and said Democratic spending demands remained too high as talks with congressional leaders aimed at averting deep cuts in defense and domestic programs seemed no closer to resolution Wednesday. After White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney took shots at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democrats said White House involvement in the negotiations was hindering progress and rejected the proposed freeze. The exchange suggested the two sides were not near a handshake to avert automatic cuts and instead boost both defense and domestic programs, perhaps for two years. (Taylor and Fram, 6/19)

House Democrats cheered the exhausting legislative feat, having worked on the floor past 4 a.m. in recent days to finish the massive funding package. Democratic leaders know, however, that their measure will be headed to the shredder if a bipartisan budget deal isn’t struck soon. Congressional leaders from both parties and Trump administration officials were set to meet later Wednesday in the hopes of negotiating the parameters of a compromise that would ward off the fiscal chaos later this year. (Emma and Scholtes, 6/19)