The Senate this evening approved a measure to keep the government running when the current budget year ends on Sept 30. The House could approve it when they come in for a quick pro-forma session later this week, avoiding a potential government shutdown on Friday. Both bodies were originally scheduled to be in recess this week.
The Senate voted on two measures tonight - a one-week extension of current funding and a separate bill that would fund the government through November 13. The first bill would allow the House time to come back and debate the second, longer extension.
Neither bill contains any additional spending for disaster relief. Last week the House and Senate could not agree on a temporary spending bill that would have provided additional funding for FEMA to continue disaster relief efforts.- and whether that amount should be "offset" by cuts to other programs.
An agreement in the Senate became possible this afternoon as AP reported that FEMA said it would have enough money to aid victims of natural disasters to last through the end of the budget year.