Senate approves short-term funding bill

The Senate passed a short-term spending bill on Thursday, a day ahead of a deadline to avoid a government shutdown. 

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) passed the five-day spending bill by unanimous consent on the Senate floor, using a piece of House-passed funding legislation that was already on the Senate calendar. 

{mosads}The House is expected to pass the short-term spending bill on Friday. 

President Obama will sign the bill, the White House said.  

“He’ll sign only to give Congress enough time to pass budget;GOP must drop ideological riders & compromise,” press secretary Josh Earnest tweeted Wednesday night. 

Lawmakers were under a tight deadline to pass legislation funding the government to avoid a shutdown. The measure will give lawmakers until Wednesday, Dec. 16., to pass an all-encompassing omnibus spending bill. 

Senators had been expected to take up the legislation Friday after the House. By passing it on Thursday, senators will be able to leave Washington a day early.  

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) suggested earlier Thursday that the Senate would be able to pass the short-term spending bill by either a voice vote or by unanimous consent.  

Asked whether senators would need to come back tomorrow to vote on the short-term bill, Cornyn added, “I don’t think anybody — that would be sort of a meaningless act.” 

Updated at 2:58 p.m.