Senate to Pass Temporary Spending Bill, Buying Time for Congress to Approve $1.6 Trillion Funding Package
• Senate expected to pass stopgap spending bill on Thursday to fund government through early March • Intended to give Congress time to pass $1.66 trillion spending package to fund government through fall • Avoids partial government shutdown that would begin on Saturday without new funding • House will need bipartisan support to pass bill before Friday deadline • Hard right House Republicans expected to oppose; Speaker will need Democrats' votes