Senate splits over bill to avoid government shutdown

By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A behind-the-scenes congressional battle to avoid a U.S. government shutdown broke into public view on Thursday when Republicans produced a stop-gap funding bill that Democrats immediately rejected. The federal fiscal year ends on Sept. 30 and Congress must pass a spending measure by then to keep the government open. Senate Majority Mitch McConnell capped weeks of labored negotiations by proposing a continuing resolution that would fund government agencies