FILE PHOTO: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) addresses reporters after the weekly Senate party caucus luncheons at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., July 23, 2019. REUTERS/Eric Thayer/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday he expects the Senate will pass a stop-gap government funding bill before the end of September, to prevent any lapse in funding when the fiscal year ends at the end of the month.

“A major focus of the Senate this month will be moving forward as many of the regular appropriation bills as possible and then passing a temporary continuing resolution for the outstanding parts of the government before the end of September,” McConnell, a Republican, said on the Senate floor as the chamber returned to work following the end of summer recess.