Senate seeks to prevent partial government shutdown

The Senate is working to prevent a partial government shutdown as a deadline approaches. Democrats face a choice between supporting a spending bill they criticize or allowing funding to lapse. A procedural vote is expected Friday. The proposed bill would fund the government through September, cutting non-defense spending by $13 billion while increasing defense spending by $6 billion. This is the third short-term funding extension for the current fiscal year. Democrats are concerned about the bill's provisions, which grant the Trump administration more control over spending decisions. They argue it undermines previous agreements on funding levels and affects critical programs, including those addressing fentanyl and IRS funding.