The stop-gap spending measure is needed because Congress’ normal process for passing bills to fund the government has broken down amid bitter partisan battles over funding levels.

House Republicans had sought about $19 billion in extra spending cuts next year, which had been strongly opposed by Democrats, raising the risk of a government shutdown on Oct. 1.

The fiscal conservatives who had been Republicans’ driving force behind these cuts so far appear to be going along with the Boehner-Reid agreement.

They view the higher $1.047 trillion funding level as the price needed for a six-month agreement that pushes spending decisions into the next Congress -- one they believe will be fully controlled by Republicans, with Romney having replaced President Barack Obama in the White House.

“We’ll swallow hard and accept that number as long as it’s a six month” extension, said Representative Jeff Duncan, a freshman Republican.

But it will take Congress the better part of two months to write and pass the spending extension legislation -- plenty of time for the deal to potentially unravel.

The arrangement drew a sharp rebuke from the Tea Party Patriots group, which vowed to hold congressional leaders accountable for their “reckless, irresponsible behavior” in sustaining high spending levels.

“We will not forget in November and beyond,” said the group’s founder, Jenny Beth Martin.