Senators left Washington for a five-week recess Saturday after hours of tense negotiations over which priorities to take up before departing, culminating in a series of early morning votes.
The Senate passed a bipartisan bill to avert a federal government shutdown starting in October, and the measure now heads to the House. The chamber also voted 50-49 to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general, with Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) breaking with their party to oppose him.
