The United States government may be headed for another government shutdown, while Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is trying to avoid a lapse in federal funding on Oct. 1, to keep the government open.

McConnell plans to confront House Republicans with a legislative strategy that will force them to vote at the deadline. He set up a vote on Thursday that is likely to fund the government through Dec. 11, which is supposed fail because of Democratic opposition.

"There's going to be votes to defund Planned Parenthood. But I think given the president's opposition and Democrats' opposition, at some point I anticipate there will be a clean [continuing resolution]," Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn tells Politico.

Cornyn added that the government shutdown will not be "the end" of the debate over late-term abortions and Planned Parenthood funding.

"It would keep the government funded through the fall while adhering to the bipartisan spending levels already agreed to by both parties," McConnell said Tuesday. "And, for one year, it would defund Planned Parenthood and protect women's health by funding community health clinics with that $235 million instead."

McConnell says it is necessary to "pause" funding as the government continues to investigate the Planned Parenthood scandal, after it was previously revealed that anti-abortion activists altered videos to show clinics illegally selling fetal tissues.

"I'm not sure that we can make it with the time set, because of all these unnecessary votes that have been scheduled by the Republican leader these last couple of weeks," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada. "I hope we can make it and not have to see the government shut down again."

Meanwhile, the House voted on Thursday to give Republican leaders flexibility in fast-tracking a new bill that would avoid a government shutdown. House lawmakers invoked a martial law plan that allows the House to consider a rule on the same day of debating legislation, rather than a day or two later.

If Congress does not act, there will be a government shutdown on Oct. 1.

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