Slow-moving fiscal cliff negotiations could keep members of Congress inWashington past Christmas and even into 2013, which could mean goodnews for pending legislation supported by credit unions.

Brad Thaler, NAFCU vice president of legislative affairs, saidthe current word on Capitol Hill is that Congress could workthrough this weekend up until Christmas Eve, and could also returnfor the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.

That's a change from the House and Senate 2012 calendars, whichshow both bodies would adjourn for the year on Friday.

Washington publication The Hill backed up Thaler'sobservation, reporting today that GOP leaders have told theirmembers in the House to be prepared to return to Washington afterChristmas because “serious differences” remain in fiscal cliffnegotiations.

H.R. 5817, which would eliminate the required annual privacynotice mailing, is scheduled for a vote in the House today, Thalersaid.

The bill was supposed to be considered last week, but the bill's language triggered Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) to withdraw hermotion to take the bill to a vote. That language has been resolved,Thaler said.

If the bill passes the House today, it would still need to beconsidered and passed by the Senate before the new Congress issworn in Jan. 3. Any extra session time could mean the billhas a better chance of becoming law this year.

Despite the extra days in Washington, Thaler said the privacynotice bill still faces an uphill battle in the Senate, because theupper chamber isn't very familiar with it.

“It would probably have to go by unanimous consent in theSenate,” Thaler said. “It's been in the House for a number ofmonths, not in the Senate, so I don't know how much attention folksin the Senate have paid to it. The challenge will be gettingpeople comfortable with it in a short amount of time.”

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.) andcurrently has 43 sponsors.