House Set to Vote on Wednesday to Prevent Government Shutdown
People walk along the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall, near the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument, as the sun sets on December 6, 2020 in Washington, DC. Outdoor holiday markets are taking safety precautions against the COVID-19 pandemic, including taking temperatures upon entering, social distancing, and offering hand sanitizing. Al Drago/Getty Images

The House is scheduled to vote on Wednesday on a stopgap measure to avoid a government shutdown after current funding will expire this Friday.

Democratic aides said on Monday that the stopgap is seen to last through Dec. 18.

House Democratic leaders are hoping to conclude the work on an inclusive spending package, coronavirus economic relief, and annual defense policy bill by Friday.

Members are set be home and quarantine for two weeks before spending Christmas with their families. Meanwhile, senators were less hopeful last week on getting all that work done immediately.

"Will we do it by the ninth? I'd like [to] but probably not. There's some challenges that have got to be dealt with," Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby was quoted on The Hill report.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer pushed back a day later, saying that if everybody thinks it will not get done, it will not be done. House Democrats are now noting that negotiators will need more time.

Hoyer was frustrated with the progress on Monday as it is moving slowly on a spending package and COVID-19 relief package. He claimed that not getting a deal is not on an option, and he is disappointed that they have not reached an agreement on government funding.

Top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Patrick Leahy, highlighted the need for a stopgap. He added that they could have done this weeks ago.

According to CBS News, a short-term funding measure is likely to be taken by the upper chamber, according to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell,

He said that the nation needs the Democrats to resist the temptation to play politics with long-settled policy issues or push policy that they would tank the process.

Republican and Democratic officials have been working on an omnibus appropriations package, which also serves as a means for a COVID-19 relief package.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said last week that she talked with McConnell including an aid plan to the spending measure.

However, Republicans and Democrats are still at odds when it comes to several issues, which includes federal aid to state and local governments and liability protections for businesses.

Trump has implied he is opposed to providing assistance to state local governments, saying it amounts to a bailout for blue states.

COVID-19 Cases in Congress

Congressional officials are cautious of staying in session for much longer as COVID-19 cases continue to be spreading nationally and among lawmakers.

Three House members have tested positive for COVID-19 last week.

Overall, 35 lawmakers have tested positive since March. Many lawmakers have also tested positive for antibodies.

Aside from the stopgap measure, the House is also set to vote on Tuesday on an annual defense policy that includes proposal to change the names of military bases.

The said military bases currently honor Confederate leaders. U.S. President Donald trump has threated a veto on the measure.