The Senate passed the first of two government funding packages on Friday ahead of the looming deadline to fund the government at midnight, after delays led by Republicans that raised the concern of a partial lapse in government funding until Saturday. 

Lawmakers in the upper chamber passed the $460 billion, six-bill package on a 75-to-22 vote. The House passed the spending package, known as a minibus in Capitol Hill jargon, earlier this week. 

The minibus now heads to the White House where President Biden is expected to sign it to again delay a partial shutdown. Once he does, the package will fund Veterans Affairs, agriculture, interior, transportation, energy and water, and the Justice Department. 

Congress has now moved closer to putting an end to last year’s spending fight, but they’re not out of the woods yet. 

Passing the first minibus tees up the more challenging second package of six bills, which includes funding for the Defense Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the Health and Human Services Department, among other major agencies.

Congress will have to pass the second package by March 22 at midnight to avoid another collision with a partial government shutdown. 

Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, noted that bipartisanship would have to prevail in order for the second minibus to pass. 

“Because both sides cooperated today, we’ve taken a major step towards our goal of fully funding the government. Today’s bipartisan agreement gives us momentum and space to finish the remaining appropriations bills by March 22,” Mr. Schumer said. “Of course, it’s going to take both sides working together to keep that momentum alive.”

• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.