Senate Democrats plan a legislative rush before power shifts to the GOP

While immigration legislation will not be on the table when lawmakers return to Washington next week, they will have a full plate of other complex matters to resolve before adjourning for the year, starting with legislation to fund the government past Dec. 11.

House and Senate negotiators have been at work for weeks on a comprehensive bill to fund federal agencies through next September, and aides said they hope to bring the measure to a vote before the Dec. 11 deadline.

Some conservatives are agitating for a temporary measure that would allow Republicans to revisit agency funding levels when they take charge early next year. But Republican leaders, including Sen. Mitch McConnell (Ky.), would rather get the bills for fiscal 2015, which began in October, out of the way so they can focus on crafting a budget for fiscal 2016.