Top Senate Republicans on Tuesday called for a short-term spending bill to keep open the government into January, saying time is running out to pass a full federal budget before the holidays and the end of the current Congress.
Current government funding expires at midnight Dec. 16, and negotiations with Democrats have yet to yield a long-range deal.
“I think it’s becoming increasingly likely that we may need to do a short-term [spending resolution] into early next year,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, referring to a temporary spending measure called a continuing resolution. “We’re running out of time, and that may end up being the only option left that we could agree to pursue.