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Senate sets up Thursday test votes on ending shutdown, but no deal in sight

Senators will vote on amendments featuring Trump's immigration proposal as well as a continuing resolution

Senate leaders have a deal to hold test votes on legislation that could end the government shutdown. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
Senate leaders have a deal to hold test votes on legislation that could end the government shutdown. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer have announced an agreement for a pair of test votes Thursday afternoon on government funding legislation.

But it may not get lawmakers any closer to a deal to re-open the closed portions of the federal government.

Under the deal announced on the Senate floor, the Senate would vote first to limit debate on an amendment to a House-passed spending bill that is the text of an omnibus spending bill for the government departments not already funded, as well as President Donald Trump’s immigration policy plan.

After that, the Senate would vote to limit debate on an amendment from Schumer that the New York Democrat said would provide stopgap appropriations through February 8, as well as disaster relief money already passed by the Democratic-led House.

Either of those amendments would need 60 votes to break potential (or likely) filibusters, and after the two leaders made the announcement there was no indication that wither would get to that supermajority threshold.

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