Reid says Dems working hard to avoid shutdown

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) insisted Tuesday that Democrats are taking action to avoid a government shutdown.

“We are working to see if we can find a way to fund the government for the foreseeable future,” said Reid, making his first address to the Senate since a 10-day recess.

Reid noted that work on the spending bill must be completed this week, before the current stopgap measure expires on Friday.

The House is expected to vote Tuesday afternoon on a bill to keep the government funded through March 18. The Senate is expected to take up that legislation this week, though it is unclear if it will demand changes to the measure.

That will give lawmakers another two weeks to reach a deal on legislation funding the government for the rest of the year. 

Reid touted two actions he took on the Senate floor on Monday as signs of Democrats' willingness to compromise and move forward. 

First, Reid introduced but then objected to proceeding further on the bill House Republicans originally approved for funding the government through the rest of the year. That bill would cut government spending by $61 billion through the end of September.

“I think its pretty clear that will not go anywhere,” Reid said Tuesday after calling it up for a reading and then objecting to further proceedings.

Reid also referenced his decision to file cloture on a bill that would dispose of a program that allowed taxpayers to publicly fund presidential campaigns. That revenue bill could serve as a vehicle for an amendment that would fund the government in the near future and avert a government shutdown.

The Senate is in a period of morning business and is scheduled to recess at 12:15 p.m. for weekly caucus meetings.