Faced with looming deadlines to produce a federal budget, the top Republican in Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and the top Democrat, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, agree that Pentagon funding for the fiscal year that started Oct. 1 should be $886 billion.
But this being Washington, their handshake deal differs on non-defense funding, with the Democrats pegging it at $773 billion, while the GOP says it is $704 billion.
We hope Johnson, on the job for only 10 weeks, got some rest during the extended Christmas break, because the days and weeks ahead will be harrowing for him and the country.
Meanwhile, the hard-right members are angry that Johnson isn't cutting more, and their firm opposition poses a threat to him keeping power. The very narrow margin that Kevin McCarthy tried to govern with did him in. and now Johnson has far less to spare on his side of the aisle.
And there are other important dates ahead that can complicate this business of government, notably the Iowa caucuses being held Monday and if Republican caucus-goers there begin the formal coronation of Donald Trump or if either Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis can make this into a contest for the party's presidential nomination.
Should Hawkeye State Republicans give Trump a black eye next week, his power to damage negotiations in Washington will be weakened, but the more momentum he gets toward his third consecutive nomination for the White House will only make it harder to reach reasonable agreement on the budget for Johnson.
Not factored in the budget math are still President Biden's pending request for billions in additional aid for Ukraine and Israel, American allies fighting wars following invasions with House Republicans insisting on a large-scale reform of immigration as the price, even while battles rage in Europe and the Mideast.