McConnell unveils stopgap spending bill, anti-Zika funds

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate's top Republican on Thursday unveiled legislation to prevent a government shutdown next weekend and provide more than $1 billion to battle the Zika virus. It also would provide $500 million to help Louisiana rebuild from last month's devastating floods.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the stopgap measure was "clean" of controversies and he left out internet-related language demanded by Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

But Democrats immediately criticized the proposal for failing to fund one of their top priorities: money to help Flint, Michigan, repair its lead-tainted water system.

McConnell's move could set up a showdown vote next week. It's unclear whether Democrats would filibuster the measure, which is based on weeks of negotiations. Those talks, however, failed to produce an agreement.

"It's the result of many, many hours of bipartisan work across the aisle," McConnell said, noting that it would also allow stepped up spending to combat opioid abuse - a priority of several Senate Republicans who are up for re-election, such as Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and Rob Portman of Ohio.

The stopgap spending bill needs to pass to prevent the government from shutting down next Friday at midnight. Republicans control Congress and have taken the blame for previous shutdowns, such as one that shuttered the government for 16 days in 2013.

Top Democratic negotiator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland urged further talks on the bill, which she said was a "Republican-only bill."

"We Democrats cannot vote for that substitute and urge others to vote against it," she said on the floor. "What we want to be sure is we avoid a government shutdown and a government showdown, and continue the constructive talks that we've had. But the substitute offered by the Republican majority leader falls short."