Senate seeks to end Congress, pass $1.1T funding bill

The Senate could approve the $1.1 trillion government-funding package as soon as Friday evening, one day after a dramatic vote in the House. Senators are looking to wrap up the 113th Congress by this weekend, and the funding bill keeping most of the government open through September is the big piece of business left.  But it’s not the only thing on the Senate’s to-do list. The chamber is scheduled to vote after 3 p.m. Friday to approve the annual Defense Department authorization bill, and will then confirm several nominees, including the new U.S. ambassadors to New Zealand and Iceland. The Senate also needs to pass a package extending a variety of expired tax breaks for one year, as well as a House-approved reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. Under a separate measure approved by the House and Senate, the government is operating under a two-day continuing resolution that expires Sunday. That makes clearing the funding bill by Saturday at the latest the top priority. A single senator’s objection could slow the process down, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) cautioned Friday that he would need the cooperation of all 99 of his colleagues. Reid said he wanted to hold a final vote on the funding bill on Friday...more