Senate Sends Trump $1.3 Trillion Spending Bill Bloomberg – March 23, 2018 The Senate narrowly averted a government shutdown by passing a $1.3 trillion spending bill early Friday that increases military and domestic spending and strengthens background checks for gun buyers.  The 65-32 vote came after Republican conservatives objected to the higher spending and Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky held open the possibility that he’d delay the vote past a Friday midnight funding deadline. As Pedestrian Deaths Spike, Scientists Scramble