Senate sends funding bill to Trump to avert shutdown

The Senate on Thursday easily cleared a two-week stopgap funding bill, one day before the deadline to avoid a government shutdown.

Senators voted 81-14 on the legislation, which cleared the House earlier in the day.

The bill now heads to the White House, where President TrumpDonald John Trump Death toll in Northern California wildfire rises to 48: authorities Graham backs bill to protect Mueller Denham loses GOP seat in California MORE is expected to sign it.

Six Republicans, seven Democrats and Sen. Bernie SandersBernard (Bernie) Sanders Progressive House Dem pushes for vote on 'Medicare for all' bill Castro takes steps toward likely 2020 bid Election Countdown: Lawsuits fly in Florida recount fight | Nelson pushes to extend deadline | Judge says Georgia county violated Civil Rights Act | Biden, Sanders lead 2020 Dem field in poll | Bloomberg to decide on 2020 by February MORE (I-Vt.) voted against the legislation.

Congress had until the end of Friday to pass a bill or spark a government shutdown — something GOP leadership has been adamant they would not let happen while they control the levers of power in Washington.

Lawmakers now face another deadline on Dec. 22, setting up a funding showdown just three days before Christmas.

Top GOP senators urged their colleagues to support the legislation despite grumbling among some in the caucus about the impact a continuing resolution has on military spending.

“We need this legislation to give Congress and the administration additional time to agree on responsible spending levels for the current fiscal year and beyond. ... I hope the Dec. 22 backstop will facilitate an agreement that will enable the Congress to provide funding for important national security and domestic priorities,” Sen. Thad CochranWilliam (Thad) Thad Cochran Election Countdown: Lawsuits fly in Florida recount fight | Nelson pushes to extend deadline | Judge says Georgia county violated Civil Rights Act | Biden, Sanders lead 2020 Dem field in poll | Bloomberg to decide on 2020 by February Election Countdown: Florida braces for volatile recount | Counties race to finish machine recount | Trump ramps up attacks | Abrams files new lawsuit in Georgia | 2020 to be new headache for Schumer | Why California counts its ballots so slowly Election Countdown: Arizona Senate race still too close to call | Florida vote tally fight heats up | Trump calls for Abrams to 'move on' MORE (R-Miss.), chairman of the Appropriations Committee, said shortly before the Thursday evening vote.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Graham backs bill to protect Mueller Grassley defends acting AG against calls for recusal Former staffers push Congress for action on sexual harassment measure MORE (R-Ky.) said the stopgap measure would “provide us with the time we need to complete discussions on a long-term solution.”

But Sen. John McCainJohn Sidney McCain Van Hollen not interested in staying on as chair of Senate Dems' campaign arm Election Countdown: Lawsuits fly in Florida recount fight | Nelson pushes to extend deadline | Judge says Georgia county violated Civil Rights Act | Biden, Sanders lead 2020 Dem field in poll | Bloomberg to decide on 2020 by February Jeff Flake congratulates Kyrsten Sinema on win: ‘You’ll be great’ MORE (R-Ariz.), the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said it was "unacceptable" that Congress was passing the stopgap bill.

"I have implored Congress and the White House to negotiate a bipartisan budget agreement, because without one, the military will be funded under a Continuing Resolution at the Budget Control Act levels," he said.

Senate Republicans can’t pass a government funding bill on their own, and needed consent from Democrats to speed up debate of the legislation to meet Friday’s deadline.

Democratic leadership remained tight-lipped throughout the week about if they would support a continuing resolution as they looked for leverage in negotiations on a final, year-end spending package.

“I don’t know. I think this is likely to pass,” Sen. Dick DurbinRichard (Dick) Joseph Durbin Senate GOP readies for leadership reshuffle Durbin: Republicans are making it 'as hard as possible' to vote GOP Rep. Rodney Davis wins reelection in Illinois MORE (D-Ill.) told reporters in the lead up to Thursday’s vote.

Negotiators are hoping to get a deal on the budget caps before the Dec. 22 deadline.

An agreement would likely allow lawmakers to pass another continuing resolution into January and use the time to craft a "omnibus" spending bill that would fund the government through the rest of the 2018 fiscal year.

If lawmakers aren't able to get a deal on the budget, sequestration is set to start in mid-January, which will spark automatic spending cuts.

McConnell, Minority Leader Charles Schumer

Charles (Chuck) Ellis Schumer Sunday shows preview: Trump taps acting attorney general to lead Justice Department Pro-Israel organizations should finally seek payback against Iran deal Dems Pelosi: Acting attorney general 'should not be there' MORE (D-N.Y.), Speaker Paul Ryan

Paul Davis Ryan Earmarks look to be making a comeback Former staffers push Congress for action on sexual harassment measure House Republicans need history lesson in battle over next leader MORE (R-Wis.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi Graham backs bill to protect Mueller Clyburn says some critics are using race to oppose his leadership bid Congress can unite on global affairs MORE (D-Calif.) met with Trump and Vice President Pence at the White House on Thursday to discuss the looming year-end fight.

McConnell told reporters after the meeting that they did not reach an agreement, with Schumer and Pelosi offering a similar take in a joint statement.

“We had a productive conversation on a wide variety of issues. Nothing specific has been agreed to, but discussions continue," they said.

Democrats want an equal increase in defense and nondefense spending, as well as an extension of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and a legislative fix for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

The Trump administration announced earlier this year that it was nixing DACA, which allows immigrants brought into the country as children to live and work. The program will expire in March.

Trump's move has sparked a legislative showdown in the Senate.

Democrats, who say the issue needs to be dealt with by the end of the year, want Republicans to pass a deal that links the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act with border security.

Republicans, and the White House, counter that an immigration deal will not be included in the funding bill.

Sen. James LankfordJames Paul Lankford The Hill's Morning Report — Split decision: Dems take House, GOP retains Senate majority Midterm vote to set cyber agenda The Hill's Morning Report — Presented by PhRMA — Trump divides Republicans ahead of midterms MORE (R-Okla.), who introduced legislation that would include a path to citizenship, said on Thursday that lawmakers didn't have time to reach an agreement by the end of the year.