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Government Shutdown: Senate Passes Stopgap Spending Bill

Senate Passes Stopgap Spending Bill, Avoids Gov't Shutdown
Reuters
The U.S. Capitol building is seen Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011, in Washington. The six Democrats and six Republicans on the Supercommittee, as it's familiarly called, have until next Wednesday, Nov. 23, to come together on a deficit reduction plan. Otherwise Congress faces a stark alternative: allow payroll tax cuts and jobless aid for millions to expire or extend them and increase the nation's $15 trillion debt by at least $160 billion. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
The U.S. Capitol building is seen Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011, in Washington. The six Democrats and six Republicans on the Supercommittee, as it's familiarly called, have until next Wednesday, Nov. 23, to come together on a deficit reduction plan. Otherwise Congress faces a stark alternative: allow payroll tax cuts and jobless aid for millions to expire or extend them and increase the nation's $15 trillion debt by at least $160 billion. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - A deeply divided and unproductive Congress wrapped up its final business before November's elections early on Saturday as the U.S. Senate passed a stopgap measure to fund federal programs and avoid an Oct. 1 government shutdown.

The 62-30 vote on the funding bill, which now moves to President Barack Obama's desk to be signed into law, was delayed by days of partisan bickering over votes on unrelated measures aimed at boosting both Democrats' and Republicans' political fortunes.

For the new fiscal year which begins on Oct. 1, the $524 billion measure slightly raises discretionary spending - which funds government agencies and everything from defense to national parks - from current levels.

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