The Senate Friday, hours before a government shutdown, overcoming sharp Democratic opposition to the measure and sending it to President to be signed into law.
The vote was 54-46.
Here's the latest:
Trump suspends security clearances of additional Washington lawyers
Trump signed an executive order Friday targeting attorneys at the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP pending a review of whether the clearances are 鈥渃onsistent with the national interest.鈥�
Text of the order says the firm hired Mark Pomerantz, who left the firm to join the Manhattan district attorney鈥檚 office.
That鈥檚 the office that secured Trump鈥檚 conviction on 34 state charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush-money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. Trump has claimed the trial was 鈥渞igged鈥� and 鈥渄isgraceful.鈥�
In a statement late Friday, a spokesperson for Paul, Weiss noted that Pomerantz 鈥渞etired from the firm in 2012 and went on to work at the District Attorney鈥檚 office nearly a decade later. Mr. Pomerantz has not been affiliated with the firm for many years.鈥�
Raskin event to respond to Trump speech disrupted by supporters of the president
Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said no president has ever given a speech like Trump鈥檚 overtly political remarks at the Department of Justice.
The Maryland lawmaker introduced government lawyers who were fired after Trump took office because they prosecuted Trump supporters who rioted at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump pardoned all the Jan. 6 defendants after he returned to office.
Throughout the event, at least one man kept yelling, 鈥淕od Bless Donald Trump.鈥�
Harry Dunn, then a Capitol police officer who helped defend the building during the riot, said Trump had put another mob 鈥渙n retainer鈥� by issuing the pardons.
Senate unanimously approves budget fix for DC
The Senate swiftly approved legislation late Friday that would allow the District of Columbia to keep its budget intact rather than roll back to 2024, fixing a provision that had drawn protests from the mayor and residents war who warned it would require $1 billion in cuts to services.
The bill passed unanimously, without dissent, and now heads to the House. Lawmakers are on recess but expected to consider it when they return in late March.
A fix for the District of Columbia
Senators announced they would be voting on a bill that would allow the District of Columbia to keep its 2025 budget intact rather than roll back to 2024 levels.
The bill would reverse a provision in the government spending package that would have required some $1 billion in cuts. The provision drew sharp objections from the mayor and residents.
Schumer called the bill 鈥渧ery good news鈥� and urged the House to quickly pass it.
If approved, the legislation, which is separate from the government funding package, would next go to the House. Lawmakers are out of town but expected to consider it when they return.
Rubio bans South Africa鈥檚 ambassador to the US
Secretary of State Marco Rubio says South Africa鈥檚 ambassador to the U.S. 鈥渋s no longer welcome鈥� in the country.
Rubio, in a post on X, accused Ebrahim Rasool of being a 鈥渞ace-baiting politician鈥� who hates Trump and declared him 鈥減ersona non grata.鈥�
The State Department did not have additional details.
It鈥檚 highly unusual for the U.S. to expel a foreign ambassador, although lower-ranking diplomats are more frequently targeted.
Trump has signed an executive order cutting aid and assistance to the Black-led South African government. Trump said South Africa鈥檚 Afrikaners, who are descendants of mainly Dutch colonial settlers, were being targeted by a new law that allows the government to expropriate private land.
Judges don鈥檛 intervene after the Trump administration says it鈥檚 stopped destroying USAID records
Federal judges in two separate lawsuits refused Friday to order the Trump administration to not destroy U.S. Agency for International Development records after it said it has disposed of only old or unneeded documents and is no longer destroying records anyway.
Both cases involve the destruction of classified documents as part of the building cleanout as President Trump dismantles USAID, cutting off most federal money and terminating 83% of humanitarian and development programs abroad.
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Former EPA heads sound alarm about Trump environmental rollbacks
Three former Environmental Protection Agency leaders say endanger the lives of millions of Americans and abandon the agency鈥檚 dual mission to protect the environment and human health.
Zeldin said Wednesday he plans to roll back on everything from clean air and water to climate change. Former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy called Zeldin鈥檚 announcement 鈥渢he most disastrous day in EPA history.鈥欌��
The comprehensive plan to undo decades-old regulations was nothing short of a 鈥渃atastrophe鈥� and 鈥渞epresents the abandonment of a long history鈥� of EPA actions to protect the environment, said William K. Reilly, who led the agency under President George H.W. Bush.
Christine Todd Whitman, who led EPA under President George W. Bush, said the administration was 鈥渆ndangering all of our lives.鈥�
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Trump administration says it will resume payments to a Texas Catholic charity that provides aid to refugees
A lawyer for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported to a federal judge that it had completed an 鈥渋ntegrity review鈥� that had prompted it to pause payments. He did not mention any problems that may have surfaced during the review.
The Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Worth coordinates a range of refugee services throughout Texas. It had sued to resume payments and said that as of Friday it had $47 million in pending requests, which had languished after the Trump administration paused its grant funding for refugee-related services.
The charity had requested a temporary restraining order from U.S. District Court Judge Loren Alikhan of the District of Columbia. Alikhan held off on ruling on the request pending the processing of the funds.
鈥淲e鈥檙e happy about the news, and we鈥檙e hopeful that this will be a short delay in payments and then business as usual after this,鈥� attorney Edward Waters of Catholic Charities said.
Bill to avert government shutdown clears key hurdle with help from Democrats
A spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown narrowly cleared a key procedural hurdle in the Senate, paving the way for passage as a midnight Friday deadline loomed.
Ten Democrats joined with Republicans to clear the 60-vote threshold needed to advance the measure. The vote was 62-38.
Trump lauds judge who oversaw his classified documents case
Trump called U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon 鈥渁mazing鈥� and 鈥渃ourageous鈥� months after she dismissed the indictment accusing him of illegally retaining classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home.
Trump slammed what he described as unfair public criticism of Cannon, whom Trump also nominated to the federal bench. Trump accused Cannon鈥檚 critics of 鈥減laying the refs.鈥�
Cannon sided with Trump鈥檚 lawyers in ruling that the special counsel who filed the charges against Trump was illegally appointed by the Justice Department.
Trump鈥檚 own administration have been critical of federal judges who have ruled against the White House in lawsuits brought over his sweeping executive orders. Some of his allies have called out judges by name on social media and suggested they should be impeached.
Trump loyalists charged with crimes dot audience for speech
Among them:
Walt Nauta, the Trump valet who was charged along with the president with obstructing an investigation into Trump鈥檚 hoarding of classified documents after he left office in 2021. That case was later dismissed.
Michael Flynn, who served as national security adviser in Trump鈥檚 first term. Flynn was charged with lying to the FBI about his Russian contacts during the 2016 presidential period. He pleaded guilty and was later pardoned in Trump鈥檚 final weeks in office.
Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general who last year agreed to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution under a deal to end criminal securities fraud charges that have shadowed the Republican for nearly a decade.
Trump vows to seek 鈥榝ull and complete accountability鈥� from the Justice Department that prosecuted him
The president is vowing to seek 鈥渇ull and complete accountability鈥� for what he alleges were wrongs carried out by the Justice Department that prosecuted him.
In his speech at Justice Department headquarters, Trump railed against the Biden administration officials he claims tried to do 鈥渆verything within their power鈥� to prevent him from becoming president.
There has been no evidence of wrongdoing by the officials who investigated and prosecuted Trump on allegations that he illegally retained classified documents and conspired to overturn his 2020 election loss. The Justice Department dismissed the cases after his election victory, citing longstanding policy against prosecuting sitting presidents.
Trump suggests a ceasefire could be close in Russia鈥檚 war with Ukraine
During his speech at the Department of Justice, Trump said ceasefire negotiations were ongoing and praised his relationship with Putin.
Trump even said Putin 鈥渉as respect for this country.鈥�
Trump also seemed to suggest that Ukraine was to blame for Russia鈥檚 2022 invasion, saying, 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want to pick on somebody that鈥檚 a lot larger than you.鈥�
Previously, Trump blamed Ukraine for the fighting, only to later concede that Russia invaded when those comments sparked an uproar.
GOP funding bill faces 60-vote threshold to advance in Senate
The Senate is now taking a key vote that needs 60 votes to push the Republican-backed government funding bill forward in the chamber.
While it鈥檚 not a vote for final passage, which only requires a simple majority, this vote is a larger hurdle because it requires 60 votes to overcome the Senate鈥檚 filibuster rules. With Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, opposing the bill, eight Democrats would need to vote in favor for the bill to proceed.
Senators have also reached an agreement on debate time, which would allow them to beat the midnight deadline for a shutdown.
Democrats fracture over potential government shutdown, progressive groups warning of backlash
Democrats are erupting in anger, accusing Schumer of passing on a rare opportunity to regain leverage in Washington.
In defense, Schumer said 鈥渁 shutdown would allow DOGE to shift into overdrive.鈥�
Still, influential progressive groups are warning that Senate Democrats would face a fierce backlash if they vote with Republicans to avoid the shutdown.
鈥淐learing the way for Donald Trump and Elon Musk to gut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid is unacceptable. It鈥檚 past time for Democrats to fight and stop acting like it鈥檚 business as usual,鈥� said Joel Payne, a spokesperson for MoveOn, which claims nearly 10 million members nationwide.
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Wall Street rallies to its be
st day in months, but that鈥檚 not enough to salvage its losing week
It was Wall Street鈥檚 best day since the election, but wasn鈥檛 enough to salvage a fourth straight losing week.
The S&P 500 rose 2.1% Friday, a day after closing more than 10% below its record for its first 鈥渃orrection鈥� since 2023. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1.7%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 2.6%.
Uncertainty about Trump鈥檚 oft-changing tariff announcements have increased public anxiety, feeding worries that U.S. consumers may cut back on their spending.
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Trump鈥檚 threats on government downsizing and tariffs unleash historic jumps in public anxiety
Along with a ferocious stock market selloff and downgrades to growth estimates by Wall Street economists, the latest confidence numbers are evidence of possible blowback facing Trump.
Just months into his second term, the president said his threats of import taxes would cause 鈥渁 little pain鈥� while paying the way for American factory jobs.
Now even Trump鈥檚 base is slightly more pessimistic: Sentiment fell 3.2% among Republicans in the University of Michigan鈥檚 consumer sentiment index.
鈥淧eople who are afraid the economy is headed into a ditch won鈥檛 buy new cars or houses, go out to eat, or go on vacations,鈥� warned Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank. 鈥淚f consumer sentiment continues to sour, spending will likely follow it lower and the economy could take a substantial hit.鈥�
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Trump takes stage at Department of Justice
The president opened his speech by saying that under his administration, DOJ will begin a 鈥渘ew chapter in the chronicles of American justice.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e turning the page on four long years of corruption, weaponization,鈥� he said.
Trump has long argued that he鈥檚 been unfairly treated by the department.
He also thanked some of the department鈥檚 top officials, all of whom are longtime loyalists, defenders and attorneys who represented him during his criminal trials.
Trump arrives at Justice Department for speech, pauses to admire his portrait
Attorney General Pam Bondi was accompanying the president, who stopped by the portrait and commented about the 鈥渘ice-looking鈥� guy.
Bondi said she鈥檚 working on getting Vice President JD Vance鈥檚 portrait up, too.
Senate approves bipartisan bill to increase penalties for fentanyl trafficking, sending it to House
Both Republicans and Democrats want to show they can take action on the deadly drug.
The bill passed the Senate on an 84-16 vote, with all the nay votes from Democrats. It had significant Democratic support in the House, where many in the party are eager to clamp down on fentanyl distribution following an election in which Republican harped on the problem.
When House Republicans passed a similar bill in 2023, it languished in the Democratic-held Senate.
Critics say the proposal repeats the mistakes of the 鈥渨ar on drugs,鈥� which imprisoned , particularly Black Americans.
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GOP town halls get rowdy as attendees hurl scathing questions on Trump
House Speaker Mike Johnson told GOP representatives last week that could be disrupted by 鈥減rofessional protesters.鈥�
But Rep. Chuck Edwards said he didn鈥檛 want to shy away from his constituents in North Carolina.
Edwards endured constant jeers, expletives and searing questions on Trump administration policies in Asheville Thursday night. About 300 people crammed inside the auditorium. More than a thousand booed outside.
Asked about Trump鈥檚 鈥渄estructive and disastrous trade war,鈥� the visibly exhausted congressman said: 鈥淟et me answer and then if you don鈥檛 like it, you can boo or hiss or whatever you鈥檇 like to do.鈥�
鈥淎nd you wonder why folks don鈥檛 want to do these town halls,鈥� Edwards said over shouting.
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DC braces for $1.1 billion cut to city budget as Congress debates funding bill
Washington, D.C., has often had a tenuous peace with the federal government when Republicans controlled Congress and the White House. Now it鈥檚 facing since the Nixon administration.
The passed by the House this week calls for a drastic cut in current spending that city leaders say would result in calamitous harm to schools and public safety.
Christina Henderson, a city council member, calls it 鈥渞eckless鈥� and 鈥渦ncharted territory.鈥�
鈥淲ill the senators die on the field for the D.C. budget?鈥� is the question now, according to John Capozzi Jr., a former shadow representative for the District.
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Trump鈥檚 tariffs forge a rare bipartisan alliance among Kentucky鈥檚 leaders
Democratic Gov. and Republican Sens. and came together to lament brewing trade wars that could stagger the bourbon industry.
Bourbon distillers who have cultivated markets in Europe and Canada are now worried about in escalating tit-for-tat disputes. It intensified this week when Trump on European wine, Champagne and other spirits if the EU goes forward with a planned tariff on American whiskey.
In solidly Republican Kentucky, the governor and senators have been in lockstep in their disapproval of the tariffs. Beshear, who is seen as a potential presidential contender in 2028, has been especially critical.
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JD Vance suggests Trump鈥檚 promised boom won鈥檛 be 鈥榚asy鈥� nor 鈥榟appen overnight鈥�
The vice president toured a plastics facility in Bay City, Michigan and promised 鈥渁 great American comeback鈥� in manufacturing 鈥� even as he urged patience for it to fully materialize.
鈥淭he road ahead of us is long,鈥� Vance told the crowd of about 100 people at Vantage Plastics.
The Trump administration鈥檚 tariffs on Canada has especially concerned some businesses in the border state, but Vance defended them as a way to increase domestic manufacturing.
鈥淚f you want to be penalized, build outside of America,鈥� he said.
Immigration officials arrest second person who protested at Columbia
Immigration officials have arrested a second person who participated in Pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, and have revoked the visa of another student, they announced Friday.
Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian from the West Bank, was arrested by immigration officers for overstaying her student visa, the Department of Homeland Security said. Kordia鈥檚 visa was terminated in January 2022 for 鈥渓ack of attendance,鈥� the department said. Kordia was previously arrested for her involvement in protests at Columbia in April 2024, it added.
The Trump administration also revoked the visa of Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian citizen and doctoral student, on March 5 鈥渇or advocating for violence and terrorism.鈥� On Tuesday, Srinivasan opted to the department said.
The announcement comes after the recent arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist who helped lead student protests at the school and is facing deportation.
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Rubio denies the US is giving up on demand that Russia agree to immediate cease-fire
Rubio was speaking to reporters Friday after talks in Moscow between a U.S. envoy and Putin ended with no word of an agreement on a cease-fire with Ukraine.
鈥淲e will get there,鈥� Rubio said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e certainly at least talking about peace for the first time in three years.鈥�
Protesters organize outside the Department of Education
Ringing cowbells and chanting, organizers, teachers, former employees and locals gathered in Washington to protest personnel cuts in the Department of Education on Friday morning. Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii joined teachers鈥� union representatives and advocacy organizations to speak at the event. Dozens of cars and trucks, along with tour buses and a Metro bus, honked in support of the line of protesters along Independence Avenue.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 just about a department and a building, this is about federal streams of money that help students live into their full potential,鈥� said Kim Anderson, National Education Association executive director. 鈥淭his agenda is about cutting funding and shipping it to public schools.鈥�
The Education Department plans to lay off more than 1,300 of its employees as part of an effort to halve the organization鈥檚 staff 鈥� a prelude to Trump鈥檚 plan to .
Among Senate Democrats, four NOs and a maybe
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, NV: She said she鈥檚 鈥渟till weighing the impact鈥� of her vote.
Sen. Maria Cantwell, WA: 鈥淚t鈥檚 so important for my state to have infrastructure investment. They鈥檙e cutting 40% out of the Army Corps of Engineers. The lifeblood of my state is growing agriculture product and getting it to destinations all around the globe.鈥� She said she鈥檇 vote no on the continuing resolution.
Sen. Tina Smith, MN: 鈥淚鈥檓 voting no on the CR. I believe that the CR would do terrible damage. It鈥檚 not even a CR. It鈥檚 a it鈥檚 a new bill written exclusively by Republicans that would do great damage to Minnesota.鈥�
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, RI: 鈥淭he real danger here is this Trump-Musk cabal that is out to break government, destroy agencies, fire off thousands of people, ruined government services. Also they can give data probably and tax breaks to billionaires.鈥� He said he鈥檇 vote no on the resolution.
Sen. Ben Lujan, NM: 鈥淐olleagues are having to make those decisions. If you鈥檙e ask if I support Chuck Schumer, I support Chuck Schumer. And, I announced I鈥檒l be voting no. And I鈥檓, right now, that鈥檚 where I鈥檓 standing.鈥�
Pelosi warns Senate Democrats it鈥檚 鈥榰nacceptable鈥� not to fight GOP funding bill
In a scathing rebuke to Senate leadership, the House Speaker Emerita said Trump and Musk are offering a false choice between the bill and a shutdown.
Instead Rep. Nancy Pelosi is imploring Senate Democrats to 鈥渓isten to the women鈥� 鈥� top Democratic appropriators Sen. Patty Murry and Sen. Rosa DeLauro 鈥� and fight in favor of their 30-day stopgap plan. 鈥淲e must fight back for a better way,鈥� she said.
Notably, Pelosi鈥檚 statement mentions Trump鈥檚 first-term shutdown, which was the longest in history when Democrats refused to provide funding for his promised U.S-Mexico border wall.
鈥淎merica has experienced a Trump shutdown before 鈥� but this damaging legislation only makes matters worse,鈥� Pelosi said.
House Democrats tamp down talk of primarying Democratic senators
鈥淭here鈥檚 always going to be an election cycle. This is not about politics. This is about what is best for the American people. We made that vote with that interest in mind,鈥� said Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, the Democratic caucus chair.
Aguilar reiterated that House Democrats feel that supporting the bill makes lawmakers 鈥渃omplicit鈥� in Trump鈥檚 agenda. But he said 鈥渨e have all the respect in the world for our Senate colleagues鈥� 鈥� a message they鈥檙e sharing while lobbying them on the phone.
鈥淭his has really been about what are our tactics and strategies to defending Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, from what Donald Trump and Elon Musk are seeking to do each every day,鈥� he said.
Senate Majority Leader hopes he has the votes to prevent a midnight shutdown
John Thune says the chamber is ready to vote later in the day, and he鈥檚 鈥渉opeful that enough Democrats will reject their party鈥檚 threat of shutting down the government to get this bill passed today.鈥�
With a 53-47 majority, and some dissent within his won Republican ranks, the GOP leader still needs at least eight Democrats to cross party lines to clear the 60-vote threshold.
AP EXCLUSIVE: US and Israel look to Africa for resettling Palestinians from Gaza
The U.S. and Israel have reached out to officials from three East African governments to discuss using their territories as potential destinations to resettle more than 2 million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
That鈥檚 according to American and Israeli officials who spoke to The Associated Press. The contacts were with Sudan, Somalia and the breakaway region of Somalia known as Somaliland.
The idea of a mass transfer of Palestinians was once considered a fantasy of Israel鈥檚 ultranationalist fringe, but since Trump presented the idea at a White House meeting last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hailed it as a 鈥� .鈥�
There鈥檚 strong opposition to displacing Gaza's population. Palestinians have and dismiss Israeli claims that the departures would be voluntary. Arab nations are vehemently against it, offering an that would leave the Palestinians in place. Rights groups said forcing or pressuring Palestinians to leave could be a .
Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a secret diplomatic initiative, U.S. and Israeli officials confirmed the contacts with Somalia and Somaliland, while the Americans confirmed Sudan as well. They said it was unclear how much progress has been made. The White House declined to comment on the outreach efforts.
By Josef Federman, Matthew Lee and Samy Magdy
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House Democrats express fury at Senate counterparts over GOP spending bill
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries reiterated that House Democrats would not be 鈥渃omplicit鈥� in the GOP spending plan.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York expressed frustration that Democratic senators aren鈥檛 aligning with the members 鈥渨ho have won Trump-held districts in some of the most difficult territories in the United States, who walked the plank and took innumerable risks in order to defend the American people.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 still time,鈥� said Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico at a press conference of the Democratic Women鈥檚 Caucus. 鈥淭he American people are shouting: Please do not hand the keys over to Elon Musk.鈥�
AP EXCLUSIVE: Hundreds of federal offices could begin closing this summer at DOGE鈥檚 behest
Federal agencies will begin to vacate hundreds of offices across the country this summer under push by Elon 惭耻蝉办鈥檚 budget-cutting advisers to that they say waste money.
惭耻蝉办鈥檚 maintains a list of canceled real estate leases on its website, but internal documents obtained by The Associated Press contain a crucial detail: when those cancellations are expected to take effect. The documents from inside the General Services Administration, the U.S. government鈥檚 real estate manager, list expected to end by June 30, with hundreds more slated over the coming months.
The rapid pace of cancellations has raised alarms, with some agencies and lawmakers appealing to DOGE to exempt specific buildings. Several agencies are facing 20 or more lease cancellations in all, including the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Geological Survey.
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Why Democrats are concerned about the spending bill
Both defense and non-defense spending is lower than what was agreed to when Congress in return for spending restraints. And they're even more worried about the discretion it gives the Trump administration on spending decisions. Many Democrats are referring to it as a 鈥渂lank check.鈥�
Hundreds of the specific funding directives for key programs that come with most bills fall away under this continuing resolution, so the administration will have more leeway to decide where the money goes.
Democrats also object to the treatment of the District of Columbia, which would have to cut current spending by $1.1 billion, and the clawing back of $20 billion in special IRS funding, on top of the $20 billion rescission approved the year before, which essentially cuts in half the funding boost that Congress intended to give the agency.
What to know about the bill being debated by the Senate
Congress has been unable to pass the annual appropriations bills designed to fund the government, so they鈥檝e resorted to passing short-term extensions instead. The legislation before the Senate marks such continuing resolution for the current fiscal year, now nearly half over.
The legislation would fund the federal government through the end of September. It would trim non-defense spending by about $13 billion from the previous year and increase defense spending by about $6 billion, which are marginal changes when talking about a topline spending level of nearly $1.7 trillion.
The Republican-led House the spending bill on Tuesday and then adjourned. The move left senators with a decision to either take it or leave it. And while Democrats have been pushing for a vote on a fourth short-term extension, GOP leadership made clear that option was a non-starter.
A procedural vote Friday will provide a first test of whether the package has the 60 votes needed to advance, ahead of final voting likely later in the day. At least eight Democrats will need to join with Republicans to move the funding package forward.
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Schumer gives Democrats room to side with Republicans to avoid a government shutdown
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer gave members of his caucus days to vent their frustration about the options before them, but late Thursday he will not allow a government shutdown. His move gives Democrats room to side with Republicans and allow the continuing resolution, often described as a CR, to come up for a vote as soon as Friday.
Schumer said on the Senate floor that the choice between the GOP spending bill and a government shutdown is 鈥渘o choice at all鈥� but that a shutdown would be 鈥渁 far worse option.鈥�
A procedural vote Friday will provide a first test of whether the package has the 60 votes needed to advance, ahead of final voting likely later in the day. At least eight Democrats will need to join with Republicans to move the funding package forward.
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The Associated Press
