Lawmakers are deep into spending talks this week as a partial shutdown looms and the administration is anxious to send more aid to U.S. allies. Stopgap Spending By a 68-13 vote, the Senate Tuesday advanced a stopgap bill to keep spending at its current levels to avoid a partial government shutdown when some spending bills expire Friday night. The Senate hopes to pass the continuing resolution by Thursday. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he is confident the House will pass it, as well. As USA Today noted, he is expected to have enough Democratic votes to offset any hardline Republicans opposed to another continuing resolution. Supplemental Request The top four Congressional leaders are joining President Biden today at the White House to discuss his supplemental spending request to support Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The holdup is what immigration measures to add to the bill. House Republicans are not open to a bipartisan deal that has been taking shape in the Senate. Senate Republicans are pushing back on their House colleagues, arguing that they have leverage over Democrats, who want to pass Biden’s foreign aid package. “This is a unique moment in time,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune told Punchbowl News. “It’s an opportunity to get some really conservative border [policies] that we haven’t been able to get for 40 years.” National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is optimistic a deal can be reached to supply the aid. “We are seeking to get that done in the coming weeks,” Sullivan said Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, as The Hill reported. “I continue to believe and express confidence that we will… after a lot of twists and turns, ultimately get there.” Photo by Carol M. Highsmith