The US Congress, hobbled all year by partisan infighting, was struggling to pass basic measures such as funding the government and extending popular tax breaks.
With its back up against a midnight deadline yesterday for paying for government programs for the next nine months, lawmakers held a rare weekend session to try to advance the must-do measures.
The spending Bill would fund activities ranging from Pentagon weapons purchases to federal aid for community law enforcement and education programmes.
Progress was so slow that lawmakers were forced to pass spending Bills lasting for mere days to avoid government shutdowns like the one that rocked Washington in October 2013.
Washington’s current spending authority expires today at 7am, but probably will be extended until 7am on Thursday to give the Senate more time to finish a $1.1 trillion measure that President Barack Obama is awaiting.
The spending Bill would fund activities ranging from Pentagon weapons purchases to federal aid for community law enforcement
Senate leaders, unable to pass the huge Budget Bill quickly, might be forced to hold a procedural vote today at 8am. It is needed to clear the way for passage tomorrow of the Bill to fund most government activities through September 30, 2015.
But a group of conservative senators, including Ted Cruz of Texas, were demanding that they be allowed to offer an amendment that would cut off Department of Homeland Security funds for carrying out Obama’s move to relax deportations of some undocumented immigrants.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was blocking the amendment.
But it wasn’t just budget matters weighing on Congress.
The Senate in coming days is hoping to approve a ‘tax extenders’ Bill to renew 55 already expired tax breaks, retroactive to January 1, 2014.
The House has passed a one-year extension, which is awaiting Senate action after negotiations collapsed on a more permanent solution. Congress wants to settle the matter, even temporarily, before January, when taxpayers begin filing tax returns for 2014.
Legislation would renew tax breaks for business research and development costs, as well as breaks for teachers, commuters, green energy and others.
The Senate also hopes to approve a federal terrorism insurance programme that is important to sports stadium owners and other major construction projects.
The House has passed a six-year renewal of the law that stemmed from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
It was unclear whether the House and Senate can come to an agreement on a Bill during this Congress.