Biden Will Meet With Congressional Leaders as Rail Strike Looms

WASHINGTON — President Biden will meet with congressional leaders from both parties on Tuesday morning as a national freight rail strike looms and lawmakers are faced with decisions in the coming days about funding the government and protecting same-sex marriage.

In a brief statement, the White House said Mr. Biden had summoned the leaders to a meeting in the Roosevelt Room “to discuss legislative priorities through the end of 2022.”

Mr. Biden and his Democratic allies on Capitol Hill are hoping to make the most of the next few weeks, while the party still controls both chambers of Congress. When the new Congress begins early next year, Republicans will have a slim majority in the House, giving them control over the agenda there.

On Monday night, Mr. Biden urged lawmakers to swiftly pass legislation that would prevent a labor stoppage by rail workers next month, saying that such a move could have devastating effects on the nation’s economy.

“Congress has the power to adopt the agreement and prevent a shutdown,” the president said in a statement. “It should set aside politics and partisan division and deliver for the American people. Congress should get this bill to my desk well in advance of Dec. 9 so we can avoid disruption.”

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement on Monday night that the House would vote on that issue this week, ahead of a strike deadline set for early December. Mr. Biden is likely to urge Senate leaders to follow suit during the meeting at the White House on Tuesday morning.

Later Tuesday, the Senate is scheduled to vote on legislation to provide federal protections for same-sex marriages. If the bill passes, the House will still have to vote on it before the end of the current Congress and send it to Mr. Biden’s desk for his signature.

Lawmakers also face a mid-December deadline to fund the federal government. A failure to agree on a temporary spending package could shut down parts of the federal government, and Mr. Biden will most likely use the meeting on Tuesday to call on members of Congress to avoid that outcome.