House GOP leaders push back meeting on funding bill to 9 p.m.

House Republicans are expected to huddle late Tuesday night on a year-end government funding deal just as GOP presidential candidates take the stage for the last debate of the year in Las Vegas.

The meeting was pushed back four hours, to 9 p.m., as lawmakers continue to hash out the final details of a sweeping $1.1 trillion omnibus package.

{mosads}The text of the omnibus is expected to be posted once the GOP conference meeting is over, likely at around 10 p.m., House Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Texas) said. 

During the meeting, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is expected to brief rank-and-file Republicans on the outcome of the secretive negotiations, which have centered in recent days over controversial policy riders such as lifting the crude oil export ban and restricting refugee resettlement.

Current government funding runs out Wednesday night, which means lawmakers will likely have to pass yet another short-term stopgap to avoid a shutdown. 

The unusual timing of the GOP conference meeting could limit media attention to the spending package, which is likely to top 1,000 pages. 

If all goes as planned, the House could vote Thursday at the earliest on both the spending deal and the tax extenders measure before adjourning for the holidays. 

– This story was updated at 5:12 p.m.