The House on Thursday gave easy approval to a six month stopgap budget to keep the government running, as Senate passage of that plan is now expected next week, a move which would pave the way for lawmakers to go home until after Election Day.
The vote in the House was 329-91, with strong majorities in both parties voting for the funding plan.
Most of the opposition came from Republicans who want deep budget cuts; but right now, Republicans cannot get those cuts through the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats.
The Senate could take a procedural vote on the "Continuing Resolution" as early as next Wednesday, which means Senators could give it final approval soon after, freeing lawmakers to go home to campaign.
To give you a little peek into how the Senate schedule is set, this is how things were left on the Senate floor Thursday evening for next week, as Senator Reid laid out the chain of events:
Reid asked for,
"unanimous consent that on Wednesday, September 19th, following any Leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of S.3457 and, notwithstanding rule 22, it be in order for Senator McConnell, or his designee, to raise a budget point of order against the substitute amendment #2789; that if a budget point of order is raised, the Majority Leader, or his designee, be recognized for a motion to waive the applicable budget points of order; that the time until 12 noon be equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, on the motion to waive; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to vote on the motion to waive; that if the motion to waive the applicable budget points of order is not agreed to, the cloture motions with respect to the substitute and the underlying bill be withdrawn and the bill be returned to the calendar and the Majority Leader then be recognized; that if the motion to waive is agreed to, at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Republican Leader and notwithstanding rule 22, the motion to commit be withdrawn; that all the pending amendments be withdrawn with the exception of the pending substitute amendment #2789; that there be 30 minutes of debate equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to the vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the substitute amendment #2789; if cloture is invoked, the remaining post-cloture time be yielded back and the Senate then proceed to vote in relation to the substitute amendment #2789; that following that vote, the Senate proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on S.3457, as amended, if amended; and, if cloture is invoked, the post-cloture time be yielded back, the bill be read a third time and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill, as amended, if amended; and following the vote on passage, the Majority Leader be recognized. If cloture is not invoked on the substitute amendment #2789, the cloture motion on the underlying bill be withdrawn and the bill be returned to the Calendar. Further, that no amendments, motions or points of order be in order to the substitute amendment or the bill other than those listed in this agreement. Finally, that when the Senate receives H.J.Res.117, the Continuing Resolution for Fiscal Year 2013, it be placed on the calendar; that on Wednesday, September 19th, it be in order for the Majority Leader to move to proceed to H.J.Res.117 and file cloture on the motion to proceed; finally, that if a cloture motion is filed, notwithstanding rule 22, the vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.J.Res.117 occur at 2:15pm on Wednesday, September 19th.
That means the cloture vote on the stopgap budget will take place after the party lunches on Wednesday; by then, some Senators might be able to have a good idea when they will be back home for dinner on Thursday or Friday.
