Senate Okays Government Spending Package

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate has voted to advance a $1.4 trillion government spending package. It’s a last, bipartisan burst of legislating before the end-of-the-year holidays. The legislation gives President Donald Trump a victory on his U.S.-Mexico border fence. It also gives Democrats long-sought domestic spending increases and a repeal of Obama-era taxes on high-cost health insurance plans. The first bill in the two-bill package passed easily Thursday by a 71-23 vote. A vote on a Pentagon and homeland security measure is expected later Thursday. The compromise bill would avert a possible government shutdown this weekend.