A man walks past the U.S. Capitol building as a government shutdown looms.
A short-term government funding bill was reached by the House on Thursday.
The measure would fund the government through February 18. The legislation could be voted on by the House.
The Senate and the House need to pass a spending bill by Friday. The suspension of certain government services can be caused by an extended shutdown.
The Senate could pose problems if the bill is approved by the House. The bill can be stopped by any senator.
A group of Republicans, led by Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, want to bar the Biden administration from requiring vaccine for private employers. The funding bill could be delayed and a temporary shutdown could occur.
It is not clear if Senate leaders can reach an agreement that would allow for a quick vote on the spending bill. The amendment to block the vaccine mandate was pushed for by the Republicans who could block government funding.
Cotton told CNBC that they want a vote. He wants senators to have a say in whether or not to back the mandate.
The crusade may not have much of an effect. The mandate on employers was put on hold by a federal appeals court.
If a potential government shutdown is resolved before federal employees go back to work on Monday, it will cause only minimal disruption.
The story is evolving. You can check back for updates.
You can subscribe to CNBC on the internet.
