Lawmakers wheel-and-deal on flurry of year-end bills

CNN: Washington (CNN)Racing to finish their work before the end of the year, lawmakers announced agreements on two major bills. Still on the docket -- finishing negotiations on a giant government funding bill that must pass by next week to keep the government operating.

Bipartisan House and Senate negotiators on Tuesday unveiled a long-sought agreement on a five-year bill to fund highway and transit construction projects across the country. The measure, which is expected to be voted on in both chambers and sent to President Barack Obama by the end of the week, also restores the Export-Import Bank, whose charter expired earlier this year after several Republicans fought to kill it.

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