This temporary funding bill passed the U.S. Senate, which is led by Republicans. The important bill ensures federal agencies continue to run through Dec. 11 – and will avoid a debilitating government shutdown just ahead of the Nov. elections.

The U.S. House of Representatives had already passed a short-term funding measure last month. Now both houses of the legislature have a short window to iron out their differences.

Congress must pass a final package of laws before the current federal funds expire Sept. 30 that the president can sign. The deadline is less than five weeks before voters go to the polls for the next congressional elections.

The Senate version of the bill has important restrictions that are missing from the House version, according to Democratic lawmakers. In particular, it blocks the government from shifting federal funds earmarked for border security projects managed by the Department of Homeland Security to other security programs.

The Senate bill also contains key language that allows for changes to funding for “essential services” such as housing and food assistance, which are provided by agencies such as the Department of Agriculture.

In addition, the Senate bill would temporarily stop the White House budget office from adopting a controversial new rule. This proposed rule would have put hundreds of billions of dollars of federal grant dollars at the fingertips of political appointees.