Senate Passes Spending Bill, Avoids Shutdown

Congress is sending President Obama a Republican-drafted bill to trim $4 billion from the budget to keep the government running for two more weeks. The Senate cleared the measure by an overwhelming 91-9 vote that gives the GOP an early but modest victory in its drive to rein in government. Obama has until Friday to sign the measure and avert a government shutdown.

The legislation buys time for Obama, the GOP-dominated House, and the Democratic-led Senate to start talks on legislation to fund the government through the end of September. House Republicans last month muscled through a measure cutting this year's budget by more than $60 billion. The White House has promised a veto and it will take weeks or months to find a compromise that Obama would sign.