By Richard Cowan, Bo Erickson and Gabriella Borter WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Senate on Friday passed a stopgap spending bill, averting a partial government shutdown, after Democrats backed down in a standoff driven by anger over President Donald Trump's campaign to slash the federal workforce.

Congress averted a government shutdown Friday just hours before the funding deadline, after the Senate approved a House-passed spending bill that exposed deep rifts within the Democratic Party.

After days of Democratic agonizing, the Senate voted to keep federal funds flowing through Sept. 30 just hours before a midnight deadline.