The Senate voted 87-11 last night to pass a stopgap continuing resolution to temporarily avert a looming government shutdown and agreed to enter conference committee negotiations with the House on the annual defense authorization bill. The two-tiered CR, which the House passed earlier this week , extends funding for the Defense Department and other federal agencies through Feb. 2, while other government departments would be extended through Jan. 19. Though the CR, the second passed this year, puts off a...