House finishes lame-duck session

The House adjourned at 10:29 p.m. Thursday, completing its work for the 113th Congress after a long day of drama over whether a government funding bill would be approved.

House members are now headed home for the holidays and won’t be back for votes until the new Congress starts in January. However, the chamber will convene Friday for a pro-forma session.

{mosads}Passage of the “cromnibus” appropriations bill marked the end of work for the House this year.

The Senate is now the only chamber still in session for the 113th Congress. Senators will vote on final passage of the defense authorization on Friday and could vote on the cromnibus the same day.

But unless Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) secures a unanimous consent agreement from Republicans, the Senate can’t consider the cromnibus until Monday. It is, therefore, unclear when both chambers will officially adjourn for the 113th Congress.

However, current government funding will expire on Saturday under the two-day stopgap measure passed by the House and expected to be approved by the Senate later Thursday.