WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress is quickening its pace toward adjourning late this week, marching toward a final vote on legislation boosting medical research and speeding drug approvals and readying a separate stopgap spending bill to prevent the government from shutting down this weekend.
The temporary budget bill, scheduled to be unveiled Tuesday, would keep federal agencies functioning into next spring, giving the new Congress and the incoming Trump administration time to approve more than $1 trillion to fund federal agencies through the Sept. 30 end of the current government budget year.
Current spending expires at midnight on Friday. Since the measure is the only absolute must-do bill before Congress adjourns, it’s likely to carry several add-ons, including flood relief, money for overseas military operations, and help for Flint, Mich., to fix its lead-tainted water system.
Other possibilities include language to help speed a congressional waiver required next year to confirm retired Gen. James Mattis as secretary of defense and temporary help to maintain health benefits for retired members of the United Mine Workers. Lawmakers will again deny themselves a cost-of-living pay hike that’s fallen out of favor.
The overall measure would keep the government running through April 28.