Senate sends Obama temporary government funding bill to avert shutdown

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday passed and sent to President Barack Obama emergency legislation to fund the government beyond midnight when existing money expires.

By voice vote, the Senate passed a bill approved earlier on Wednesday by the House of Representatives that extends the temporary appropriations through Dec. 22.

The measure gives Congress more time to finish a $1.15 trillion bill to pay for federal programs through September 2016.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Eric Beech)