The Senate Tuesday sent the House a continuing resolution that would fund the federal government through March 4, with a House vote expected later Tuesday.
Senate passage of the CR, on a 79-16 vote, came hours after the Senate voted to cut off debate on the measure.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the chamber plans to move the package after receiving it from the Senate. House action was expected before midnight, when the current stopgap funding bill expires.
The short-term CR was pushed by Republicans who want to start making good on campaign promises to slash the federal budget in fiscal 2010 rather than waiting until fiscal 2011. Next year, Republicans will control the House and have increased numbers in the Senate.
Democrats had sought to pass an omnibus measure -- made up of all 12 annual appropriations bills -- but Republicans killed the proposal after pulling back initial support for it. The move forced Democrats to move the CR in order to stave off a government shutdown.
Funding for most programs would continue at fiscal 2010 enacted levels under the CR, according to the Senate Appropriations Committee. In total, the measure would provide funding at a rate approximately $1.16 billion over the last year's level.
The CR also extends authorizations or allows for continuous normal operations through March 4 for certain programs that would otherwise expire or be severely disrupted.
For example, the measure ensures that the Department of Health and Human Services obligates the same amount for the low-income home energy assistance program during the CR as it did during the same period in fiscal 2010.
The CR would provide funding to continue the maximum Pell Grant award at the same level as in fiscal 2010 and adjust the current rate of operations for the Veterans Benefits Administration to $2.1 billion, an increase of $460 million over the fiscal 2010 appropriation, to prevent layoffs of claims processors and to support efforts in reducing the processing times of disability claims.
Another provision would preserve over $4.3 billion of reduced-fee loans for small businesses that would otherwise expire.
The bill also ensures adequate funding to prevent significant scaling-back of critical audits and investigations of the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
The measure also begins a two-year pay freeze for federal civilian employees called for by President Obama.
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