Congress set to pass spending, disaster aid bills and leave town Thursday
by Susan Ferrechio | Dec 21, 2017, 3:37 PM
House and Senate Republicans were poised on Thursday to pass a temporary funding measure and extend a key surveillance tool before leaving town for the year.
House lawmakers are expected to pass a bill funding the federal government until Jan. 19 later Thursday afternoon. Democrats have vowed to oppose the measure because it excludes their wishlist items, but Republicans appear to have the support needed to pass it with GOP votes only.
Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., a GOP appropriator, confirmed to the Washington Examiner that the GOP appears able to pass the bill, which had stalled briefly because of opposition from the chamber's most conservative faction, the House Freedom Caucus. Several HFC votes have flipped to "yes," after behind-the-scenes negotiations.
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http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/congress-set-to-pass-spending-disaster-aid-bills-and-leave-town-thursday/article/2644178
