Senate votes to keep government open amid wide gulf on spending

A stopgap spending measure that will keep the government operating into early 2024 is on its way to President Joe Biden’s desk, as lawmakers prepare for the serious negotiations between the two chambers on full-year appropriations that will soon kick off. The Senate cleared the continuing resolution with broad bipartisan support on an 87-11 vote late Wednesday after resolving some eleventh-hour skirmishes. Senate Armed Services ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., won a commitment to vote on sending the annual defense policy bill to a formal conference with the House. The issue for hours had slowed down a time agreement for votes on the CR. Read more