U.S. government funding runs out Friday, and Congress will likely punt

A dark incentive — (Image credit: Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images)

The federal government's funding authorization runs out on Friday, President Trump has threatened to veto a must-pass defense authorization bill, and pressure is building on Congress to approve its first major COVID-19 relief legislation since April. "The coming days will require bicameral, bipartisan coordination and some buy-in from the outgoing White House to avoid a complete debacle," Politico's Burgess Everett reports, and as Congress faces this lame-duck "hell week," Trump is mostly focusing on "his flailing legal and political attempts to overturn the election."

The most promising prospect for success is the $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act, which the House will vote on Tuesday and appears likely to get veto-proof majorities in both chambers. A bipartisan group of senators is still hammering out a $908 billion COVID-19 package that House Democratic leaders have endorsed as a good starting point. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is "noncommittal," Politico reports, and "Trump is always a question mark."

House Democrats have passed two relief packages since the summer, while the Senate has approved none. The bipartisan Senate group has come to agreement on funding for state and local governments, Politico's Playbook reports. but "they are hung up on liability overhaul" and "all eyes are on McConnell" for a second round of direct checks to Americans, a provision with "new urgency" from Republican negotiators as well as most Democrats.

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Congress will likely pass a weeklong stopgap spending bill, keeping funding at current levels while allowing negotiators to iron out an omnibus spending package financing the federal government through September. If no omnibus deal emerges before Dec. 18, Congress will probably pass a three-month continuing resolution. "The Senate is targeting roughly Dec. 18 as its adjournment date, and McConnell is still looking to confirm nominees this week," Everett reports.

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.