The Senate is expected to replicate the action of House members, who passed a three-day funding bill Dec. 17 to avoid a government shutdown.

Federal appropriations expired at midnight Dec. 18 and the House will not meet again Dec. 21.

On Dec. 8, House members voted 212-206 in favor of H.R. 3082, a bill continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2011. The Senate has received the bill, which funds government operations and extends authorizations for federal surface transportation and aviation programs through Sept. 30.

The bill would require the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration report to Congress on March 30 and Sept. 30 on the agency’s ability to meet its requirement to conduct compliance reviews on high-risk carriers.

It also mandates the transportation secretary report annually to the House and Senate Appropriations committees on the safety and security of transportation into the United States by Mexico-domiciled motor carriers.

Federal officials have said little recently regarding negotiations to resume cross-border trucking with Mexico. After Congress voted to discontinue program funding in March 2009, Mexico implemented retaliatory tariffs, which are applied to 99 different U.S. goods.