Government shutdown updates: Biden signs stopgap funding measure

Senate Leader Mitch McConnell made it official moments ago: Senate Republicans are going to stop the Senate funding bill in its tracks, with just hours to go until a government shutdown.

Senate Republicans are doing this because they're encouraged by the stopgap funding bill put forward in the House earlier today: a 45-day funding bill with disaster aid.

"It looks like there may be a bipartisan agreement coming from the House, so I'm fairly confident that most of my members are going to vote against cloture not necessarily because they're opposed to the underlying bill to see what the House can do on a bipartisan basis and then bring it over to us," McConnell said before heading to the Senate floor. "Under these circumstances I'm recommending a no vote even though I very much want to avoid a government shutdown."

What does that ultimately mean?: Republicans are going to put all their eggs in one basket today. It could be a risk. By voting to stall their own bill, Republicans are banking on the House sending them their bill today. And it's not yet clear whether that bill will pass the House. If it does, the Senate is going to have to unanimously agree to vote on it today if they want to avert a shutdown before midnight.

It's a risk for Senate Republicans to make this move. But if the House sends them this bill, it could mean a government shutdown is narrowly averted.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

House Democrats were successful in delaying the continuing resolution for more than an hour with their procedural motion to adjourn; 427 members cast votes on the motion giving leaders a strong sense of how many lawmakers are in town ahead of the suspension vote on the CR.

They’re now resuming debate on the continuing resolution. There are about 10 minutes left of debate.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is now delivering a "magic minute" floor speech. That "magic minute" is essentially untimed remarks on the floor for either the speaker of the house or minority leader.

Nancy Pelosi once carried on for over eight hours about DACA recipients in 2018. Kevin McCarthy broke the record in 2021, speaking for over 8 hours and 30 minutes.

"Strap in because this may take a little while," Jeffries said.

-ABC News' John Parkinson

The walls are closing in and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy knows he needs to do something. He admits he has to work with Democrats to get this done. And now he's daring them to vote against it.

His message to Republicans who may try to oust him for working with Democrats: bring it. But this move makes that even more of a possibility now.

There's a major scramble happening now with members rushing back and lawmakers huddled in every corner of the Capitol trying to figure out how to vote.

McCarthy didn't give them much time -- 25 minutes from the time the House was called back to review a 71 page bill and make a decision.

Democratic leaders are meeting now with their members -- who are livid they don't have more time to review the bill.

"Kevin McCarthy isn't the most trustworthy person in this building so I think it behooves all of us to make sure that what they say is in the bill is actually in the bill," Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., told ABC News.

-ABC News' Rachel Scott

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy huddled with Republicans behind closed doors Saturday morning -- where he is expected to make another plea for his party to unite around a short term solution to keep the government funded.

During Friday night's meeting, McCarthy told members they had few options:

1. Pass his measure that failed on the floor
2. Vote on a stopgap measure with aid for disaster relief
3. Pass the bipartisan Senate bill they all hate
4. Shutdown the government.

As of this morning, Republicans are zeroing in on option two.

Republicans are now considering whether to take up a stopgap measure that would keep the government funded for 45 more days with funds for disaster aid tied to it. No Ukraine aid. Nothing on the border. But that could change.

Why the disaster aid? Disaster aid is a priority for Democrats. McCarthy would likely needs their votes (there are several Republicans who said they'd never vote for a short term bill). If he puts it on the floor -- he would be daring Democrats to vote against it.

To make matters even more complicated, a short term solution could only create even more problems for McCarthy.

Several hardline Republicans say they would vote to oust McCarthy as Speaker if he worked with Democrats on any deal. And that is likely if they go down this path.

-ABC News' Rachel Scott