Stay tuned after the show for a message from pharma.

Good Thursday morning. I'm Jake Sherman and welcome to your political playbook audio briefing.

And I'm Anna Palmer. We are now eight days away from government funding running out.

And there's a healthy heap of skepticism in the House and Senate that Congress will be able to put together a full year of spending bills in time for the December 11th funding date.

So what does that mean for D.C.?

A short-term spending bill becomes real likely.

One thing being talked about is extending government funding until March.

And what does that mean?

A government funding fight in the first quarter of next year,

just as Joe Biden will be getting his administration together.

It could benefit Biden because his team can put their imprint on spending bills, but it's also tough.

Let's call it Biden's March madness. A government funding deadline in March would set up a deadline for COVID relief as well.

Congress could do a bit of relief this month, extend the paycheck

protection program, and allocate vaccine money as an example. But then March would serve as a hard

deadline for both COVID relief and funding. Breaking this morning, Bloomberg is reporting that

Saudi Arabia and Qatar are nearing a deal to end a lengthy rift after being prodded by the Trump

administration seeking foreign policy wins on their way out the door. Jared Kushner and nearing the deal to end a lengthy rift after being prodded by the Trump administration, seeking

foreign policy wins on their way out the door. Jared Kushner and Avi Berkowitz were in the

Gulf region over the last week. In Foggy Bottom, the Washington Post reports that Secretary

State Mike Pompeo is inviting hundreds of people to an indoor holiday party after subordinates

warned against hosting non-mission

critical events. The New York Times reports that David S. Cohen is the leading contender to lead

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