MNI POLITICAL RISK - Congress Close To FY24 Spending Agreement

• An accord on overall Fiscal Year 2024 spending levels appears close. Time is likely too tight to legislate individual spending bills, leaving two options: Another short-term funding bill or passing spending bills in ‘minibuses’ compiled of multiple FY2024 bills. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) says he won't advance another stopgap and House GOP conservatives are adamantly opposed to 'omnibus' legislation so the risk of a government shutdown is high at both of the two upcoming funding deadlines.
• Senate negotiators held their first in-person meeting of the year yesterday to discuss US-Mexico border policy overhaul.
• The US State Department has rejected comments made by Israeli ministers advocating for the resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza. The statement comes amid concerns that a suspected Israeli drone strike in Lebanon could draw Iran-backed Hiballah into the war.
• President Biden will kick off his 2024 campaign season with two events highlighting former President Donald Trump’s threat to democracy - a strategy which which contributed to a Democratic overperformance at the 2022 midterm elections.
• The next Republican presidential debate will take place in Iowa on January 10 with the field expected to be cut to two candidates.
• The GOP's House majority is set to shrink even further later this month.
• Trump has appealed a decision to bar him from Maine's presidential primary ballot.
• The US became the world's biggest exporter of LNG in 2023.
• Poll of the Day: 66% of Israelis oppose US demands to shift to lower intensity war with Hamas.

Full article: US Daily Brief