Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada were among the first Democrats to publicly back the Republican funding bill, arguing that a shutdown would only strengthen Trump’s hand. They were joined by six more Democrats—Dick Durbin of Illinois,

Friday to pass a Republican-sponsored stopgap funding bill that averted a federal government shutdown. The vote was the second of two key votes that passed the bill: The advance vote: The Senate voted 62-38 to end debate on the bill – a cloture vote – and advance it to a final vote.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives earlier this week passed the measure, which largely leaves spending steady at about $6.75 trillion in the fiscal year that ends September 30. Democrats expressed anger over the bill,

The Senate has passed a bill that would result in more prison sentences for fentanyl traffickers. Democratic and Republican lawmakers on Friday were trying to show they can act to rein in distribution of the deadly drug.

The Senate is preparing to give final approval to a bill that could result in harsher prison sentences for fentanyl traffickers