Illinois senator says Congress close to budget deal

Illinois senator says Congress close to budget deal

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Illinois U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk says he thinks Congress is close to reaching a compromise over the federal budget.

Legislators have approved temporary budgets while they debate where to make cuts.

Kirk, a Republican, said he thinks this is the last temporary budget lawmakers will pass.

“My expectation will be a funding mechanism which makes the final cuts and includes a defense department bill so that pay for the troops and other things go through,” Kirk said.

Kirk said the next big challenge will be passing the budget for 2012 and limiting how much money the country is borrowing to pay its bills. The latest deadline for Congress and the White House to reach an agreement for 2011’s budget is April 8th.