Top U.S. Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer on Thursday said he would vote to advance a Republican stopgap funding bill, signaling that his party would provide the votes to avert a government shutdown.

WASHINGTON - Top US Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer has said he would vote to advance a Republican stopgap funding Bill, signalling that his party would provide the votes to avert a government shutdown. “I will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down,” he said in a speech to the Senate on March 13.

The Senate plans to take up a House-passed bill to fund the government through September beginning on Friday, which needs the support of Democrats to move forward.