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.

House Republicans advanced a stopgap bill Tuesday to fund the government until October, putting moderate Senate Democrats in a tough spot should the measure pass a final vote this afternoon and