Senate to vote on first government funding package to avoid shutdown

Washington — The Senate is on track to pass a six-bill package on Friday to fund parts of the federal government through September and avoid a partial shutdown that is set to take effect at the end of the week.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said Wednesday the upper chamber would move quickly in sending the package to President Biden "with time to spare before Friday's deadline."

The House passed the package Wednesday, with Democrats providing a majority of the votes needed to get it over the finish line. Conservatives held firm in their opposition to all of the recent funding extensions that lacked their preferred spending cuts and policy riders.