The Senate joined the House Thursday night in approving a short-term spending bill to avoid a Friday government shutdown, wrapping up the year with a host of controversial issues unresolved. The short-term spending bill extends current spending levels for government agencies until Jan. 19, giving lawmakers more time to continue negotiations over how much money the government should spend next year on the military and non-defense programs. Democrats had threatened to hold up a vote on the short-term spending bill unless it addressed the uncertain status of immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, but that debate has now also been delayed until January.
