Senate passes bill to avert shutdown

A government shutdown was averted just hours before the Friday 11:59 p.m. deadline after enough Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., helped Republicans defeat the filibuster.

The bill now heads to President Donald Trump's desk for a signature. The Senate earlier took a key procedural vote on a stopgap spending bill, which needed to meet a 60-vote threshold to move forward, also known as the legislative filibuster.

House Republicans passed the short-term bill, called a continuing resolution, earlier in the week. The bill will keep spending levels the same as fiscal year (FY) 2024 until Oct. 1.

If a spending bill was not passed by the Friday deadline, the government would enter into a partial shutdown.

During a partial government shutdown, federal agencies and non-essential services would be halted. However, government functions deemed "essential" would continue. National security protocols, such as border patrol, law enforcement and disaster response, stay active during shutdowns, for example.

The Friday evening vote to pass the six-month CR came after a critical procedural vote earlier in the afternoon. A handful of Senate Democrats provided the Republican majority with the necessary votes to overcome the filibuster and move forward with the stopgap spending bill.