Bill averting federal shutdown clears initial Senate hurdle

The Senate has voted 65-30 to start debating legislation averting a weekend government shutdown

WASHINGTON -- Legislation averting a weekend government shutdown easily cleared an initial hurdle Thursday as the Senate advanced a measure designed to give bipartisan bargainers more time to reach an overdue deal financing federal agencies until fall.

With government spending authority expiring Saturday, the bill cleared a procedural hurdle by a bipartisan 65-30 vote, five more votes than the 60 needed. Leaders were working to line up votes demanded by some Republicans on vaccine mandates and other politically fraught issues before final passage of the spending bill, which could occur later in the day.

The House approved it last week with both parties' backing. The process has had minimal drama, with neither side believing it would benefit by forcing an election-year budget shutdown. The bill would finance agencies through March 11.

With senators also eager to leave town for a weeklong recess, Republicans had limited leverage to press their demands as the deadline approached for keeping open the government.