Congress averted a government shutdown Friday just hours before the funding deadline, after the Senate approved a House-passed spending bill that exposed deep rifts within the Democratic Party.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Friday was poised to pass a stopgap spending bill and avert a partial government shutdown, after Democrats backed down in a standoff driven by anger over President Donald Trump's campaign to slash the federal workforce.

With just hours to spare before a midnight deadline, Congress passed a stopgap bill to fund the government through the fall, avoiding a shutdown. The Senate approved the measure early Friday evening,