WASHINGTON, D.C. --  

UPDATE: 04/08/2011 11:51 p.m.

An hour before the midnight deadline the White House and congressional leaders reached an agreement to cut billions of dollars in spending to avoid the first government shutdown in 15 years.

According to the Globe and Mail , the agreement passed a stop-gap measure that would fund the government for six more days, giving  Congress until mid-week to pass an overall budget bill that cuts $39-billion in spending for the remaining six months of the fiscal year. Republicans also reportedly agreed hold a separate vote on their proposal to cut funding to Planned Parenthood, rather than include it in the budget bill.

An Associated Press report says that, “the White House and Republicans have agreed on a spending cut of $38 billion but a fight over federal dollars for Planned Parenthood is blocking a deal.”

The battle between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) lasted through the night and into the very early morning hours of Friday morning, according to the Huffington Post.

In an article on the USA Today website, Democrats have reportedly agreed to $338 billion in budget cuts, but the Republicans are insisting that funds be dropped to Planned Parenthood because of the abortion issue.

If an agreement is not reached, the government will shut down at midnight on Friday.  

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