US spending bill passes vote
WASHINGTON’S battles over government funding ended with a whimper last night as the US Senate approved a $1.1 trillion (£672bn) spending bill that quells for nearly nine months the threat of another federal agency shutdown.
The measure, which funds government programmes from the military to national parks through the 30 September fiscal year-end, passed by a 72-26 majority. President Barack Obama is expected to sign it into law.