The U.S. Senate will vote on a short-term continuing resolution (CR) in an attempt to avert a government shutdown for the fiscal year coming to a close Sept. 30, according to an announcement by Republican leadership Monday.
“Members on both sides have been working towards an agreement to responsibly fund the government. We’ve made a lot of important progress already,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Monday. “I expect to move forward this week on a continuing resolution through Dec. 9 at last year’s enacted levels and include funds for Zika control and our veterans,” McConnell said on the Senate floor.
The Kentucky Republican filed cloture on the measure, which would also provide Zika funding and provide federal dollars to be used toward veterans programs.
The length of the CR has been a sticking point with conservatives, who feel the stop-gap measure should run into next year – after the lame-duck session is over.
A number of members of the House Freedom Caucus have expressed their hesitation to get behind a bill ending in December, fearing it will lead to higher spending levels and provide Democrats with an opportunity to push a policy agenda, since President Barack Obama will no longer have an incentive to negotiate for the 2017 fiscal year.
House Republicans floated the idea of passing a short-term CR in conjunction with a series of “mini-buses,” small groups of appropriations bills they feel would provide more transparency than a year-end omnibus bill.
McConnell’s announcement came just before Congressional leadership in both chambers were set to meet with President Barack Obama to discuss the best path forward on keeping the government funded.
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