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The House on Thursday cleared bills to keep the government running through April and authorize hundreds of water projects, but a Senate fight over benefits for retired coal miners threatened to lead to a government shutdown this weekend. House members promptly bolted home for the holidays and will return next month to a capital city in which Republicans will fully control all levers of power, with Donald Trump inaugurated as the nation’s 45th president. The stopgap spending bill passed on a 326-96 vote. (Taylor and Lardner, 12/8)

Senate Democrats were trying to decide Thursday whether to risk a short-term partial shutdown of the U.S. government this weekend unless Republicans agree to demands to protect the health benefits of retired miners. “There is no consensus yet, we are still working out the strategy,” said Connecticut Senator Christopher Murphy. During a caucus meeting, Senate Democrats discussed whether to withhold votes from a needed government funding bill in order to keep a promise to retired coal miners and demonstrate to constituents -- especially those in states carried by President-elect Donald Trump -- that they’re the party of working people, according to two aides who described the private conversations under condition of anonymity. (Rowley and Wasson, 12/8)

Senate Democrats are holding out on backing a bill to keep the government funded through April 28, risking a government shutdown that would begin on Saturday. Democrats may still back the funding measure, but a demand to extend miners’ health care coverage for a full year is holding up a deal. (Bolton, 12/8)

The Obama administration on Thursday harshly criticized Republican congressional leaders for not adequately addressing expiring health and pension benefits for coal miners, as well as aid for Flint, Mich., and its beleaguered water system, and would not rule out a partial government shutdown over the issues. With funding for federal programs and agencies due to expire Friday at midnight, Press Secretary Josh Earnest wouldn't say if President Barack Obama would sign a five-month continuing resolution (HR 2028) that easily passed the House Thursday afternoon. "It would be a shame to shut the whole thing down just a couple weeks before Christmas," Earnest said. (Bennett, 12/8)

Without congressional intervention, about 16,000 retired miners in seven states will lose their health care coverage by the end of the year. A proposal to temporarily extend the benefits is working its way through Congress. But two Senate Democrats, who have long been advocates for a more comprehensive plan, say the temporary provision isn’t enough.They are threatening to hold up a spending bill that needs to pass by Friday night to keep the government running. (Lofton, 12/8)

In recent years, few major bills have commanded as much support as the 21st Century Cures Act, which sailed to passage by votes of 392 to 26 in the House on Nov. 30, and 94 to 5 in the Senate a week later. Once it is signed by President Obama on Tuesday, as the White House has said it will be, the law will allow for money to be pumped into biomedical research and speed the approval of new drugs and medical devices. It also includes provisions to improve mental health care and combat opioid abuse. (Pear, 12/8)