McConnell acts to mollify Senate conservatives, avert government shutdown

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press)When Republicans took control of Congress, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed there would be no federal government shutdown on his watch.

Now, with barely a week to go before the Sept. 30 fiscal-year deadline, the GOP leader is in a familiar struggle to prevent that outcome.

McConnell set up a vote, expected Thursday, on a stopgap measure to keep government running through Dec. 11.

But the bill is expected to fail -- blocked by a Democratic filibuster -- because it would also cut funds to Planned Parenthood. The family-planning organization has been under fierce…