US Senate leader says chamber will try to quickly pass bill to avert shutdown

By David Morgan and Katharine Jackson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said on Wednesday he would try to quickly pass legislation to keep the government funded, preventing a partial shutdown that would otherwise begin this weekend.

“No drama, no delay, no government shutdown. That’s our goal and we hope to have an agreement very soon,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.

But opponents could invoke the chamber’s arcane rules to prevent a vote before midnight on Friday (0500 GMT on Saturday), when current funding will expire. Both chambers of Congress need to pass spending legislation and send it to Democratic President Joe Biden to sign into law before then in order to avoid disruption.

Schumer said he will have to work out an agreement with the chamber’s top Republican, Mitch McConnell, for a quick vote.

McConnell has said he supports the legislation, which passed the Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Tuesday by a wide bipartisan margin.

The bill would extend government funding at current levels through mid-January, giving lawmakers more time to work on the detailed spending bills that fund everything from the military to scientific research.

More significantly, it would avoid a partial shutdown that would disrupt a wide array of government services and furlough hundreds of thousands of federal workers.

Tuesday’s House vote was a victory for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who faced down opposition from some of his fellow Republicans who had pushed for deep spending cuts.

Johnson was a little-known Louisiana lawmaker until he was elected speaker on Oct. 25 following weeks of Republican infighting.

The legislation would extend funding for military construction, veterans benefits, transportation, housing, urban development, agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration and energy and water programs through Jan. 19. Funding for all other federal operations – including defense – would expire on Feb. 2.

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