National Guard funding shortfalls could be fixed by week’s end under new congressional plan

National Guard training and programming cuts scheduled for August may be avoided after Senate appropriators announced a new deal Tuesday to rush more than $500 million in needed funds to the military bureau.

The emergency legislation also includes hundreds of millions in Afghan refugee assistance funds and hundreds of millions more in money Capitol Police say is needed to help secure the congressional complex.

Both the House and Senate will have to pass the new plan by the end of the week to avoid funding disruptions for the Guard expected to start in August. But on Tuesday, Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate were optimistic they will get the work done.