Read more<\/p>\n
With less than an hour to spare, the US Senate passed the continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded for a little longer than four months.\u00a0The final Senate vote count was 63 to 36, and the bill only needed 51 to pass.<\/p>\n As late as Friday, at around 10:45pm ET, the Senate was advancing towards a final floor vote on the CR. Funding for government programs would have expired Friday at 11:59:59 p.m. ET, if the Senate had\u00a0not approved the \u201cfiscal cliff\u201d<\/em> legislation.<\/p>\n The CR passed the House of Representatives on Thursday in a 326-96 vote.<\/p>\n The lower chamber lawmakers have since begun their holiday break, which many in the Senate are likely looking forward to after the late evening vote.<\/p>\n Senator Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) had sought to block the CR, because it only\u00a0provides healthcare benefits for some 16,300 retired coal miners and widows until April 28, 2017, and not a full year.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is my intention that miners\u2019 health benefits not expire in April. I\u2019m going to work with my colleagues to prevent that,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) said on the floor Friday, per the Wall Street Journal.\u00a0\u201cThis is a good time [for Democrats] to take yes for an answer.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) spoke about how the CR does not reflect the recently passed NDAA and shortchanges the uniformed armed forces fighting Islamic State in Iraq and Afghanistan.<\/p>\n The Continuing Resolution which cuts funds for troops is a sham. Is there any wonder why the American people hold Congress in such contempt? pic.twitter.com\/5EjBumi35t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n ![\"\u00a9\u00a0Zach](\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.com\/files\/2016.12\/thumbnail\/584977d4c3618836758b4631.jpg\")
\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n