Senate moves forward to fund government despite snags over Manchin's energy plan - POLITICO

The measure will likely include Ukraine aid and leave out Covid and monkeypox money, but a deal over energy permitting is still up in the air.

Congress is poised to approve a short-term government funding patch next week that includes billions of dollars for Ukraine, likely thwarting a shutdown even as ongoing hiccups over permitting drag out negotiations.

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer moved Thursday to advance the funding measure, setting up a test vote for early next week even though lawmakers are still racing to finalize the legislation itself.

That vote to advance the stopgap, likely to occur on Tuesday or Wednesday, would require 60 senators.

The New York Democrat is determined to attach the energy permitting provisions to the funding patch, stemming from a deal with Democratic Sen.

But if political sparring over permitting delays a Senate vote on the motion to proceed, the House could move first on a funding patch without the energy provisions, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday.

Lawmakers have said the stopgap would likely keep the government funded through Dec.

Meanwhile, a growing chorus of Senate liberals and House progressives are calling to separate the temporary funding patch from the energy permitting provisions.

Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has said he’ll vote against the stopgap if it includes permitting measures.

Kevin Cramer of North Dakota predicted that the stopgap will have to move forward without the energy permitting provisions, citing pushback on the left and the right.