Senate passes stopgap to avert pre-election shutdown

The Senate passed a stopgap spending bill early Saturday that would keep the government funded through Dec. 11, moving Washington closer to avoiding another shutdown before the November midterms. Why it matters: The bipartisan 90-6 vote would push the next government funding deadline past Election Day while offering some checks on the Trump administration. State of play: The measure, which now goes to the House, generally maintains funding levels after the fiscal year ends Sept. 30, with a few…