Senate bill would keep federal agencies open into December

U.S. Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday the Senate would vote on a stop-gap government funding bill this week that aimed at averting a shutdown of federal agencies at the Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year.

The measure would fund government agencies through Dec. 11, congressional aides said. Senate Republicans initially will seek to pass a version of the spending bill that cuts off all federal funds to Planned Parenthood, a non-profit women's healthcare group now embroiled in an abortion controversy.