Senate passes short-term spending bill

The Senate voted 74-20 to pass a four-week extension to a stopgap continuing resolution that would keep the government funded through Dec. 20.

The measure, which passed the House on Tuesday, now goes to President Trump for his signature.

The current CR, which has been in effect since Oct. 1, is set to expire at midnight tonight unless the extension is signed into law.

The extension will buy Congress time to reach an agreement on fiscal year 2020 spending, though lawmakers continue to argue about how to address Trump’s use of defense funds to build a wall on the southern border.

Defense officials and lawmakers have warned that a full-year CR would badly damage national defense.