1 of 7 | Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., leaves a press conference in which he answered questions about the spending bill, which was due to go to the Senate next. Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 20 (UPI) — The Senate has reached an agreement to cut short debate and begin voting on the continuing resolution passed earlier in the day by the House.
The measure, once approved by the Senate and signed by the president, will avert a government shutdown.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said late Friday night that the upper chamber will vote before midnight on the continuing resolution that was revised and approved by House lawmakers earlier.
“Democrats and Republicans have just reached an agreement that will allow us to pass the CR tonight, before the midnight deadline,” Schumer said, according to the Washington Post.
Earlier on Friday, the House of Representatives approved the stopgap measure funding U.S. government operations through March, averting a pre-Christmas partial shutdown with just hours to spare.
Members passed the measure by a 366-to-34 margin, with 34 Republicans voting against it and one Democrat voting present.
The bill now must be approved in the Senate and then must be signed by President Joe Biden before midnight Friday to avoid any adverse effects on government functions.
According to NBC News, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he’s “confident” the Senate will also pass the measure. If the Senate fails to do so before the midnight deadline, there could be a short government shutdown, but the effects would be minimal.
“Though this bill does not include everything Democrats fought for, there are major victories in this bill for American families — provide emergency aid for communities battered by natural disasters, no debt ceiling, and it will keep the government open with no draconian cuts,” he said.
Despite Schumer’s assurances, though, a possible last minute delay arose late Friday.
With an hour and a half before the deadline Friday night, the Senate vote was being potentially delayed by discussions on Amtrak nominees, according to North Carolina’s Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. He said one unnamed Republican senator has delayed progress on voting on the House-passed spending bill because of the nominees.
Schumer was said to be seeking a guarantee that the nominees will get voice votes Friday night.
The third attempt to pass the measure in the House earlier in the evening did not include President-elect Donald Trump’s earlier demand to include a suspension of the federal debt limit, which drew united opposition from Democrats.
It did, however, contain disaster relief and aid to farmers, which were included in an initial version that was scuttled after billionaire Elon Musk objected to its provisions.
The White House said Biden supports the latest version and would sign it into law.
“While it does not include everything we sought,