WASHINGTON \u2014 With no prospect for a border security deal in sight, the Senate was preparing to leave town for the holidays and punt an emergency war funding package into the new year.<\/p>\n
Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., acknowledged Tuesday that reaching a bipartisan deal on policies to stem the flow of migrants at the southern border would not come together in time for a vote this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile we\u2019ve made important progress over the past week on border security, everyone understands that we have more work to do and it\u2019s going to take more time,\u201d Schumer said on the floor.<\/p>\n
Republicans have insisted on an immigration deal as a condition for backing more aid to Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression, and also want to ensure the legislative text reflects any framework that\u2019s agreed to.<\/p>\n
Schumer said he would give Democrats an \u201cupdate\u201d on the border talks and the $110.5 billion emergency spending package at their weekly policy lunch Tuesday. But expectations were already low as senators filed back into town Monday for an extra few days of legislative session before a shortened holiday recess.<\/p>\n
Only 61 of the 100 senators showed up Monday night<\/a> for their first scheduled vote of the week. And with no spending package on the table, the workload for the remainder of the week<\/a> promised to be light.<\/p>\n Topping the agenda, Schumer said, is a short-term reauthorization of Federal Aviation Administration financing and fee-collection authorities.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore the Senate adjourns for the holidays, we must also pass a temporary extension of FAA funding or else funding will run out on Dec. 31,\u201d he said. \u201cA funding extension for the FAA is critical to minimize chaos during the holiday season, so Congress must get this done as soon as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n But it wasn\u2019t clear how much time a vote on that measure might require. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Col., said Monday he still had a \u201chold\u201d on the FAA bill in an effort to force action on additional Ukraine aid.<\/p>\n And Schumer said he also plans votes to confirm the last of the military nominations that had been held up for months by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., in a protest over a Pentagon policy on abortion access.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are still 11 nominees that are awaiting confirmation,\u201d Schumer said. \u201cWe will not leave town until every last one of these delayed nominees is finally confirmed. I hope we can do so quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n Other nominations are on the docket as well as Senate Democrats try to approve as many of Biden\u2019s selections as possible before recessing for the year. Any nominees that have not been confirmed by Jan. 1 would have to be resubmitted by the president next year.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n