Senate Passes Multi-Billion-Dollar Funding Package to Avert Government Shutdown

The Senate passed a package of six government funding bills just hours before the shutdown deadline, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden for his expected signature on Saturday. The bills, backed by top Democrats and Republicans, fund critical government departments and agencies through the rest of the fiscal year, with both parties claiming wins in the spending package. The legislation includes funding for various programs and initiatives, such as air traffic controllers, veterans' medical care, and social safety net programs. However, lawmakers still need to finalize and pass a second slate of funding bills ahead of a March 22 deadline.