Senate passes stopgap funding bill, avoiding shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has passed a stopgap spending bill that avoids a short-term shutdown and funds the federal government through Feb. 18.

The vote in the Senate came after Republicans failed to pass an amendment that would have stripped funding for vaccine mandates.

The House had approved the bill earlier in the day.

The deal keeps the government running for 11 more weeks, generally at current spending levels, while adding $7 billion to aid Afghanistan evacuees.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says he is “glad that in the end, cooler heads prevailed.”

The measure now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

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