Live updates: Drones, Matt Gaetz dominate as Congress nears finish line

Congressional leaders are weighing a bipartisan deal, struck Tuesday, to keep the government funded, kicking the deadline from Friday to March 14.

The 1,500-page bill buys time for the next Congress to finish its funding work for fiscal 2025, while also providing funding for a host of other things. Republicans of all stripes are unhappy with the girth of it. Read what made it in the deal here.

Still, national attention has been fixated on mystery drones popping up across the Northeast.

On Wednesday morning, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced a bill seeking to provide more resources for local authorities to address the drones as local and state officials have called for increased action and transparency.

Also, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) responded to reports the House Ethics Committee may release its findings about allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use as soon as this week, defending what he says is conduct that is "embarrassing, though not criminal."

On Tuesday, Republican senators battled behind closed doors over a proposal to beef up Social Security benefits for people eligible for non-Social Security government pensions.

Republicans are also butting heads after Trump called to eliminate daylight saving time.

Plus, Trump has thrown his weight behind dockworkers’ demands for automation protections as he braces for a strike that could significantly disrupt the economy just days before he takes office.

Follow along here for Wednesday's latest updates.

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