Reid: Weekend votes ‘very likely’

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday warned senators they could be needed for votes this weekend.

“It seems very likely that we’ll have some votes this weekend,” Reid said on the Senate floor. “Just want to put everyone here on notice.”

{mosads}Reid said the Senate could conceivably complete its business by Friday, but only with Republican cooperation.

Congress needs to pass a government funding bill to avoid a government shutdown on Dec. 11. Lawmakers released that $1.1 trillion “cromnibus” Tuesday night.

While the House could vote on that massive package on Thursday, it’s expected that the House and Senate will also vote on a short-term funding measure of two or three days to give the Senate more time on the larger funding bill.

Of course, the Senate could vote on the larger bill on Friday, but that would require quick work by the House and the unanimous consent of senators on that schedule.

Reid frequently threatens weekend work but hasn’t followed through yet this year.

The Senate is currently killing debate time on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) because Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) wouldn’t agree to a unanimous consent agreement to hold an up-or-down vote.

“The quicker we get this done, the sooner we can get to the omnibus and tax extenders,” Reid said on Wednesday.