Congress Eyes Short-Term Funding Measure as COVID-19, Omnibus Talks Continue

Congress is likely to consider a one-week funding measure to provide additional time for negotiations aimed at hammering out a new COVID-19 relief package and a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill, a Democrat congressional aide said Monday.

Lawmakers in the Senate and House of Representatives face a deadline on Dec. 11, when current funding for federal government agencies is due to expire. But neither omnibus nor coronavirus relief negotiations, which are taking place separately, have succeeded in clinching agreements.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have said they hope to include the omnibus bill and coronavirus relief in a single legislative package.