After days of Democratic agonizing, the Senate voted to keep federal funds flowing through Sept. 30 just hours before a midnight deadline.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer took heavy criticism from fellow Democrats for backing the GOP measure, which he called the better of two bad options.

A possible opening emerged for the District to avoid more than $1 billion in cuts to public services under a Republican spending bill after Senate Democrats indicated Wednesday that they would vote down the bill.