Senate passes stopgap resolution to avoid government shutdown

The Senate has passed a continuing resolution to keep the government funded until February in an effort to avoid a partial shutdown just before Christmas. The resolution, a short-term spending bill at current fiscal year levels, passed with a voice vote in the Senate on Wednesday. If it is approved by the House, which is expected to take the measure up Thursday, and signed by President Donald Trump, it will keep large parts of the government funded until Feb. 8. If Trump and Congress are unable to agree on a funding bill by Dec. 21, large parts of the federal government could run out of operating authority after Friday. The Senate bill, which was introduced by Republicans on Wednesday morning, does not include $5 billion in funding for the border wall that Trump demanded from Congress...MORE