New reporting Saturday morning indicates that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is attempting to avoid a government shutdown using a different tactic.

Instead of a traditional method of bringing a bill to the floor, he is offering a clean continuing resolution (CR) under suspended rules, which would require a two-thirds majority vote to pass.

It’s a Hail Mary pass.

McCarthy says he’ll put a clean, 45-day CR on the floor under suspension of the rules to avoid a shutdown at midnight.

It would take a 2/3rds vote to pass, requiring bipartisanship.

— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) September 30, 2023

Portnoy, a reporter for ABC News, followed that report up by noting that McCarthy acknowledged "that he’ll need Democratic votes to send the measure to the Senate" and that "McCarthy says he’ll blame Biden if it fails."

"McCarthy says this CR would include additional funds for disaster relief," Portnoy also noted. "He gave no indication it would provide additional support for Ukraine."

However, it doesn't appear to be as much of a "Hail Mary" as you might think. McCarthy's problem hasn't traditionally been a majority of his caucus rebelling to the point that he needs Democrats. The problem has been a small number of Republican holdouts arguing against the rest of the Republican caucus. If it's a clean CR, he'll have the Republican votes to get it across, especially as Democrats are in a scramble to get the government funded.

While the bill does not have Ukraine funding, Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News notes on Twitter that "Several House Dems tell me they will support it, as McCarthy has dropped his insistence for cuts and border."

Notably, however, Democratic leadership appears to not be whipping the vote.

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Dems not whipping this CR vote. Sarah getting the pulse on it --> https://t.co/FQBpvCKuDB

— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) September 30, 2023

And they very likely will join in. This CR won't be long-term, but it will give both sides an opportunity to go back to the drawing board, and it gives House conservatives eager to fund the government through a dozen appropriations bills rather than last-second CR more time to accomplish their goals.

It's really not a hail mary. Funding the govt at current levels easily has 2/3 of the chamber, notwithstanding a hope yes, vote no GOP contingent. What it is is a way around the procedural pickle that has confounded Rs to date. https://t.co/QWUUg4YNIX

— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) September 30, 2023

If McCarthy's play works, then you've got a funded government for the next month and a half, and an opportunity to come back with a stronger position.

Of course, you also have the opportunity for the GOP holdouts to further scuttle the process.