Senate Passes Stopgap Spending Bill, $1.1B to Fight Zika

By ANDREW TAYLOR AND ALAN FRAM, ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER WASHINGTON — Sep 28, 2016, 3:23 PM ET

The Senate has passed a bill to keep the government running through Dec. 9 and provide $1.1 billion in long-delayed funding to battle the Zika virus.

The 72-26 vote came after top congressional leaders broke through a stalemate over aid to Flint, Michigan, to help the city address its water crisis. Democratic advocates for Flint are now satisfied with Republican assurances that money for Flint will be finalized after the election.

The hybrid spending measure is the last major item on Capitol Hill's pre-election agenda and caps months of wrangling over funding to fight the mosquito-borne Zika virus. It also includes $500 million for rebuilding assistance to flood-ravaged Louisiana.

The House is expected to approve the measure shortly and send it to President Barack Obama for his signature.