(AP) – Lawmakers are giving themselves more time to sort through their end-of-session business on government spending and COVID-19 relief. Congress is preparing to pass a one-week stopgap spending bill that would prevent a shutdown this weekend.
House Democratic floor leader Steny Hoyer said the temporary government funding bill is slated for a vote on Wednesday. The development comes as Capitol Hill is struggling to figure out how to deliver long-delayed pandemic relief, including additional help for businesses hard hit by the pandemic, further unemployment benefits, funding to distribute COVID-19 vaccines and funding demanded by Democrats for state and local governments.