Democrats expecting short-term spending patch amid tough omnibus talks

House Democrats are eyeing a short-term spending bill to prevent a government shutdown later this month — a vote some lawmakers are expecting next week.

Without congressional action, federal funding will expire on Feb. 18, and bipartisan leaders in both chambers are scrambling to secure a longer-term omnibus spending bill to keep the government open through the rest of the fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30.

The negotiations have yielded no major breakthroughs in recent days, however. And with the House scheduled to be out of session for the week of Feb. 14 — and with a number of lawmakers slated for overseas research trips during that recess — more and more members are expecting Democrats to bring a short-term patch, known as a continuing resolution (CR), to the floor next week.

The duration of the Band-Aid seems to be up in the air.

“I don’t know the exact time,” said Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), a member of the House Appropriations Committee who is among those expecting a CR vote before the 18th.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has been optimistic that negotiators will secure an omnibus deal in time to preclude the need for a CR — a message she reiterated on Friday.

“We’re still working,” she told reporters in the Capitol.

The Speaker cited comments from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who warned that a CR would pose a dire threat to the Pentagon’s readiness capabilities.

“We have to get a deal,” Pelosi said. “Secretary Austin said … we must have a bill, we can’t have a CR, because that diminishes our capacity security-wise and in every other way.”

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), head of the House Appropriations Committee, is also holding out hope for an omnibus deal.

“Just hold on and wait to see what we have,” she said when asked about the CR.

The issue emerged Friday during the House’s end-of-the-week colloquy, in which Republican Whip Steve Scalise (La.) pressed Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), the majority whip, on the Democrats’ plans for avoiding a shutdown.

“We are hopeful that something will come forward next week in the form of an omnibus. But if not, we’ll respond appropriately when we get to that point,” Clyburn said. “I’m not aware of a date, but I would hope that if we do not get an omnibus there will be a short-term CR.”