Senate leaders race to pass stopgap spending bill before potential snowstorm

Congressional leaders working on an agreement to quickly pass a temporary funding patch are racing against a potential D.C. snowstorm, trying to avert a shutdown before the Friday weather threatens to sabotage their flights home.

Senate leaders expect the funding extension, which would kick government spending deadlines into March, could pass their chamber soon as Thursday. But it’s still unclear how many amendment votes Republicans will want in exchange for the bill’s speedy passage. House leaders plan to take up the legislation quickly after it clears the Senate, and those lawmakers are hoping to avoid a Friday travel catastrophe as well.

Senators locking in that agreement will be key to ensuring that Congress quickly clears the measure before federal cash expires on Saturday for the departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Veterans’ Affairs, Energy and more.

“Obviously, this week, we have to pass a continuing resolution,” Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters on Wednesday. “We should be able to accomplish that, maybe with a few amendments, to make sure the government doesn’t shut down.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he expects the upper chamber will pass the measure on Thursday, barring any “last-minute drama” from Republicans. If Senate passage is relatively swift, the House could take up the bill as soon as Thursday night, before more snow is expected to blanket Capitol Hill on Friday.

The measure, known as a continuing resolution, will almost certainly have to move under suspension in the House, requiring a two-thirds vote threshold to send it to President Joe Biden’s desk. Speaker Mike Johnson will need substantial support from Democrats to move the stopgap through the lower chamber, while he faces increasing heat from his right flank over spending.

“Look, we have to get this done by Friday,” Schumer told reporters Wednesday. “Speaker Johnson has said he wants to get this done. I think he has the support of the majority of the House and I think we’ll get it done quickly.”