WASHINGTON–The U.S. Senate easily overcame an initial procedural hurdle on a $500 billion bill to fund the federal government for six months, but the legislation is being held up by a lone Republican lawmaker who wants a vote on a measure cutting aid to Pakistan, Egypt and Libya.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) said he was in talks with the lawmaker–Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky–as well as GOP leadership, but he said there was no “clear path forward yet.”

Democratic aides said they suspected a deal paving the way for passage of the spending bill would be reached by Thursday evening. The bill, which would broadly maintain current federal funding from Oct. 1 for six months, is almost certain to be the last significant piece of legislation passed by Congress before the November elections.