Congressional Calendar December 17, 2010

Congress stayed in session until the last minute to pass outstanding legislation before Democrats lose seats this January.

Congress plays the waiting game Friday as several bills ripen in the Senate for a Saturday vote.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., surprisingly pulled the $1.2 trillion omnibus spending bill that was originally set for a weekend vote from the floor Thursday night after support for the measure eroded. He'll now have to work with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the man responsible for killing the measure, to figure out a short-term measure to fund the government. Reid hopes to have a bill passed by midnight Saturday, when the current temporary spending bill expires.

The House passed a funding bill earlier this month that keeps the government running at fiscal year 2010 levels until the end of September, but it is likely that they will need to vote on whatever appropriations agreement makes it through the Senate.

One of the other measures on the slate for the weekend showdown is a repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy banning openly gay service members. A group of repeal supporters plan to sit in the Senate gallery in protest until the ban is rescinded.

On the floor, the Senate will continue to debate the START nuclear arms reduction treaty. The agreement with Russia requires 67 votes for ratification.

Sens. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and Richard Durbin, D-Ill., will discuss legislation they intend to introduce at an 11:00 a.m. ET press conference. They say the measure will eliminate some credit card fees and increase consumer protections.

We'll be following all these stories and more, so stay with Fox News for the latest.