The Senate took a significant step towards averting an impending partial government shutdown by passing a tranche of funding bills much earlier than usual. Senators approved three of the 12 appropriations bills Friday needed to forestall a partial shutdown,

The chamber’s leaders hope to strike a compromise with House lawmakers before federal cash stops flowing on Oct. 1.

WASHINGTON (TNND) — The Senate cleared a funding package in its marathon against a government shutdown on Friday night. Time runs out to fund the government, or pass a short-term package, known as a stop-gap resolution, on Sept. 30.

Founded in 1967 under the Public Broadcasting Act, CPB was created as a nonpartisan nonprofit to channel federal appropriations to public television and radio stations across the United States, including affiliates of PBS and NPR.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a cornerstone of American culture for three generations, announced Friday it would begin taking steps toward its own closure after being defunded by Congress.