GOP leader hopes to end lame-duck by Dec. 11

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Friday it’s the “intention” that the chamber will adjourn by Dec. 11 after it passes an appropriations bill to avoid a government shutdown.

The current stopgap funding bill expires on Dec. 11. McCarthy indicated that the House won’t stick around Washington for anything else in the lame-duck session once they renew government funding.

{mosads}During their weekly floor colloquy about the upcoming schedule, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) asked if the targeted adjournment date was still set for Dec. 11.

“Are we still, Mr. Majority leader, expecting to end this session of the Congress on the 11th of December?” Hoyer asked.

“Yes, it our intention, and I do understand that the government is only funded until the 11th. It’s our intention to continue to work with you and all members and have that finished by Dec. 11 and be out,” McCarthy replied.

McCarthy said a decision had not yet been determined on whether the funding measure will be an omnibus lasting through September 2015 or a short-term bill lasting only a few months.

“No decisions are made on the direction that we’ll go,” McCarthy said.

However, the appropriations measure could be complicated further if House Republicans choose to attach language blocking President Obama’s expected executive action on immigration and prompt a standoff with Senate Democrats.

Two years ago, lawmakers were still in town for the lame-duck session of the 112th Congress all the way to Jan. 1 due to debate over how to extend the Bush-era tax cuts that expired on Dec. 31, 2012.