Congress set to vote on stopgap funding measure this week

Congress this week is planning to approve a one-week extension of funding for government operations, pushing the threat of a government shutdown off for a bit and giving negotiators more time to try to reach a broad, year-long deal.

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Maryland Democrat, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, announced the plans Monday.

Without a new bill, funding would lapse after Friday. With the extension, it will lapse at the end of Dec. 18.

Leaders in both parties say they’re determined to get a full-year spending bill done, but will have to surmount last-minute attempts from both sides to insist on using the legislation to facilitate major changes in policy.

“The nation needs our Democratic colleagues to resist the temptation to play brinksmanship with long-settled policy issues or push poison pill riders that they know would tank the process,” Mr. McConnell warned.

The fiscal year began Oct. 1, but the government has been running on stopgap spending, known as a “continuing resolution,” that is funding agencies at last year’s levels.

Negotiators have worked out the overall amounts each department and agency will receive in the new bill, but that leaves a number of thorny line-items to figure out.

Fights over border wall spending and the number of detention beds to hold illegal immigrants awaiting deportation are among the largest sticking points.

House and Senate leaders also are aiming to strike an agreement on another round of coronavirus relief, and that could be combined with any year-long spending deal.

“Not getting a deal is not an option,” Mr. Hoyer told reporters. “We have got to come together and have some give and take. But not getting a deal done is not on the table from my perspective.”

He said the House will vote on the continuing resolution on Wednesday.

Also up for a vote this week is the annual defense policy bill, which President Trump has vowed to veto because lawmakers didn’t add a provision he wants that would strip social media companies of some liability protections.

Should Mr. Trump follow through, the House would attempt to override that veto, likely sometime next week, Mr. Hoyer said.