The Senate took a significant step towards averting an impending partial government shutdown by passing a tranche of funding bills much earlier than usual. Senators approved three of the 12 appropriations bills Friday needed to forestall a partial shutdown,

The chamber’s leaders hope to strike a compromise with House lawmakers before federal cash stops flowing on Oct. 1.

Overwhelming bipartisan passage of $488 billion in federal funding masked a bigger fight ahead over funding the rest of the government before a Sept. 30 shutdown deadline.