Senate passes 'minibus' spending bill, dodge partial government shutdown

The Senate passed a $467.5 billion "minibus" spending bill on Friday evening to avert a government shutdown, sending the measure to President Biden's desk just before beating a midnight deadline. The package passed 75-22, with 21 Republicans voting in opposition and just one Democrat. The upper chamber voted 63-35 early in the afternoon to limit debate on the package that would keep roughly the same funding levels until Sept. 30 for the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Transportation, Commerce, Justice and Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Food and Drug Administration and military construction. However, it took several…