Saturday: ‘Cromnibus,’ nominations

In a rare weekend session, the Senate will start work at noon on Saturday.

The upper chamber is debating the $1.1 trillion “cromnibus,” that would fund most of the government through September and avoid a government shutdown.

{mosads}The Senate already passed a two-day continuing resolution, but funding expires Saturday night, meaning the Senate will have to pass another short-term extension.

On Friday, the House passed a five-day CR to give the Senate more time to debate. The Senate will likely pass that measure on Saturday to keep the government funded unless an agreement is reached to vote on the cromnibus.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was forced to file cloture on the long-term funding bill because of objections from a handful of senators on both sides of the aisle. That sets up a procedural vote as early as midnight on Sunday and final passage another 30 hours after that unless an agreement is reach to hold the vote sooner.

Reid frequently threatens weekend work, but this will be the first time this year he follows through.

Reid is expected to file cloture on numerous nominations that are holding up the Senate’s adjournment.

Reid has said he wants to take up a tax extenders package, renew the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act and clear several nominations before the Senate adjourns for the year.