Senate passes bill to avert government shutdown, sends to House

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday passed legislation to keep the federal government operating just hours before agency funding runs out with the start of a new fiscal year on Thursday.

The measure, passed by a wide margin, next goes to the U.S. House of Representatives, which is expected to take it up promptly so that President Barack Obama can sign it into law before a midnight deadline.

Under the bill, a range of government activities would be funded at current levels until Dec. 11, giving congressional negotiators and Obama more time to work out a budget deal at least for the rest of the 2016 fiscal year ending next Sept. 30.