(181220) -- BEIJING, Dec. 20, 2018 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (L front) receives interviews at Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the United States, on Dec. 19, 2018. The U.S. Senate on Wednesday night passed a stopgap funding bill to keep several federal agencies funded until Feb. 8, avoiding a partial government shutdown after Friday. Approved in a voice vote with bipartisan support in the Senate, the legislation is expected to be voted on by the House on Thursday. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)