Senate passes $1.2 trillion spending plan, avoiding government shutdown Yahoo FinanceCongress once again flirts with a government shutdown. Here’s why it keeps happening. Yahoo! VoicesWhile You Were Sleeping, The Senate Averted a Government Shutdown Vanity FairHow each House member voted on the $1.2 trillion funding package CNNSenate passes $1.2 trillion spending bill, averting government shutdown The Washington Post