The No. 2 Democrat in the House says Congress will pass a two-month, $200 billion-plus increase in the government's ability to borrow as one of its final acts before closing shop for Christmas.

It's a change of plans for Democrats, who had hoped to enact a far larger increase of up to $1.9 trillion to avoid having to cast another unpopular vote to increase the debt limit before next year's midterm elections.

But Maryland Democrat Steny Hoyer said the two-month increase is all that can get through the notoriously slow-moving Senate before year's end. It would require another vote in February.

The Treasury Department has said that the borrowing limit must be increased before Dec. 31.