Senator Mitch McConnell at a news conference on Capitol Hill, Nov. 16, 2010. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Prospects for a comprehensive bill to fund the U.S. government appeared to dim Thursday after Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said he would not support the measure.

McConnell’s statement could indicate waning Republican support for a bill that would fund everything from national parks to the military through September 2011.

That could force Democrats to fund government operations on a temporary basis, either for a few months or the rest of the fiscal year, an approach that makes it difficult for government agencies to launch new programs or close out old ones. Get the full story »