Senate approves bill to avert government shutdown with just hours to spare, sending legislation to Trump

WASHINGTON – The Senate on Wednesday passed a spending measure to keep federal agencies running hours before the government was set to shut down.

The legislation will now head to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign off on the bill.

The overwhelming 84 - 10 vote marked a bipartisan push to keep the government funded in the midst of a global pandemic that has left many Americans more reliant on the federal government.

The legislation passed just hours before the annual spending bill would expire at midnight, leaving federal agencies across the country without money to continue operating. It extends government funding levels until Dec. 11 – a month after the election.

Lawmakers added last-minute pandemic relief funding before the bill was approved in the House Sept. 22, which gave it bipartisan support. The bill includes billions for a farm bailout program pushed by Republicans as farmers continue to be affected by the Trump administration's trade policies and the pandemic's impact on agriculture. Democrats got more money – $8 billion – for pandemic food assistance programs for families.... (Read more)

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