WASHINGTON – Hours before the federal government was set to partially shut down , senators were scheduled to vote again on dueling funding measures to keep the lights on.

Neither is expected to succeed , though there could be some defections from moderate Democrats and budget-hawk Republicans that underscore the political complexities for both parties as the Trump administration prepares for the 22nd government shutdown over the last half century .

Both Senate bills to fund the government previously failed on Sept. 19, largely along party lines. Since then, congressional leaders have dug their heels in, with Democrats demanding changes to health care in exchange for their votes to bypass the Senate's 60-vote threshold and keep the government open into the start of the new fisca

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