Here Comes The Senate Vote To Avoid A Government Shutdown

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Staff members walk past the US Capitol dome ahead of President Barack Obama's first address to a joint session of congress, in Washington, February 24, 2009.

The Senate is likely to pass its version of a bill to keep the government funded and avert a government shutdown today, the latest move in legislative ping-pong between the two chambers of Congress.

The House passed its version of the continuing resolution a week ago today, which included language to defund the Affordable Care Act. Much of the debate this week in the Senate has revolved around freshman Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the leader of the "defund Obamacare" effort, his 21-hour talk-a-thon on Tuesday/Wednesday, and his pleas to get Republican senators to back his effort.

Instead, his strategy has caused GOP divisions, and it looks extremely unlikely that he'll get the necessary votes to block Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid from passing an amendment that strips the House's "defund" language. On Thursday, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) laid into Cruz on the Senate floor when Cruz objected to moving the Senate vote up.

Senate passage won't avert a government shutdown - yet. House Speaker John Boehner said it is unlikely he'll move the Senate's bill through the House without amending it, setting up more ping-pong.

Here's the schedule of the votes today:

• Cloture on H.J.Res. 59, the continuing resolution - This is the key vote that Cruz wants Republican senators to oppose. It ends debate on the bill, and allows Reid to bring up an amendment to strip the "defunding" language.
• Motion to waive budget point of order - a procedural vote
• Reid amendment No. 1974, perfecting substitute - the amendment that strips from the bill the House's language to defund Obamacare. Majority vote needed for passage.
• Passage of H.J.Res.59, as amended - final passage

We'll be covering this live, here. Check back and refresh for updates.