Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., plans to hold a vote on ratification of the New START pact on nuclear weapons with Russia before recessing this year, and he now expects the chamber to work through the weekend.
Senate leadership aides said they expect the chamber to continue work into the following week. The Senate now may stay in session until just before Christmas for the second straight year, they said.
As the White House and Senate Democrats continue to work to provide assurances to Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Arizona and other Republicans on missile defense and nuclear modernization funding, a Reid spokeswoman said today that a New START vote "is something we will do before we leave."
Although Senate Democrats have said for weeks that they hope to vote on New START, many observers have doubted that the chamber will act until the next Congress begins in January.
In a floor exchange with Reid today, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said, "I assume all of our member should expect that we will press on this weekend."
Reid replied, "We need to stay here until we finish."
Reid wants to pass a tax-deal bill by Tuesday after a cloture vote today, although aides said a final vote might wait until Wednesday.
The Senate must also complete a bill extending government funding past the current continuing resolution's expiration this weekend. Democrats tentatively expect to take up that bill after the tax measure but said the schedule is fluid.
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