U.S. Senate Passes Stopgap Spending Bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate hurriedly passed a stopgap spending bill Friday to fund the federal government for one week to avert a government shutdown at midnight.

Racing against the clock and with no debate, the Senate passed the bill by voice vote after congressional leaders reached a deal with President Barack Obama on a funding bill for the rest of the fiscal year that ends on Sept. 30.

The House of Representatives later on Friday was expected to give final approval to the measure for Obama to sign into law. The longer funding bill is seen passing Congress next week. (Reporting by Richard Cowan, Andy Sullivan and Thomas Ferraro; editing by Philip Barbara)