Analysis: Crises and deadlines now the norm for Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — After a three-day government shutdown and months of dysfunction on immigration and the budget, a group of senators and their leaders have settled on a bold plan to untie their latest legislative knot: having an actual debate on the Senate floor.

It speaks volumes about Washington's chronic partisanship and atmosphere of distrust that the idea of having a floor debate about how to deal with about 700,000 so-called Dreamer immigrants is seen as a fresh approach.

But under the current norm on Capitol Hill, crises and do-or-die deadlines are about the only way most legislation ever moves.