By Samantha-Jo Roth, Washington Examiner | SOURCE: THE GAZETTE
The Senate voted to extend government funding into March on Thursday as lawmakers prepared to leave town in anticipation of another D.C. snowstorm.
The continuing resolution, which passed 77-18, is the third short-term extension the Senate has approved since September.
Before the final vote, the Senate rejected a handful of amendments that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) agreed to in order to expedite passage of the bill. One of them, sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), would have prevented aid from going to the Palestinian Authority and other governing bodies in Gaza and the West Bank unless they met conditions that include recognizing the state of Israel. The Senate voted down the amendment 44-50, mostly along party lines.
The funding measure now heads to the House of Representatives. Without a stopgap bill, the federal government would partially shutdown since funding runs out on Friday for a number of agencies. Funding for the other departments expires on Feb. 2.