Senate blocks rival bills to prevent midnight shutdown

The Senate on Tuesday, as expected, failed to approve a GOP stopgap to keep the government funded or a Democratic alternative, edging the government closer to a midnight shutdown.

The votes came at the end of a day notable for the lack of public work being done by either party to prevent a shutdown.

Normally, the hours and days before the prospect of a shutdown on Capitol Hill are filled with scenes of lawmakers and aides scurrying about to negotiate possible sett...