“Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) grew frustrated with staffers trying to prep her for what’s become a routine Senate vote on Thursday, blurting out ‘I don’t even know what that is’ after aides asked if she had questions about the latest stopgap funding bill,” Insider reports.

“The internal discussion, which took place along a bank of elevators in the Senate basement and was loud enough for Insider to overhear, bubbled over into outrage as Feinstein struggled to get her bearings before the midafternoon vote.”

“The Senate on Thursday passed stopgap legislation to avert a government shutdown, funding the federal government until Dec. 16 and approving new resources for Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion,” the Washington Post reports.

“The rare bipartisan compromise, struck on the eve of the hotly contested midterm elections, advances a continuing resolution — a bill to sustain government funding at current levels, often called a “CR” — to the House for final approval. The lower chamber is expected take up the measure Friday.”

Politico: “McConnell is urging Senate Republicans to vote no on advancing Manchin’s permitting reform legislation as part of a government funding package… It’s an ominous development that puts the West Virginia Democrat’s legislation in peril as he works behind the scenes to drum up support.”

“The GOP leader is whipping his members to vote against advancing an effort on Tuesday that would eventually combine a short-term government funding package with the energy permitting legislation. Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hope to tie the two pieces of legislation and send them over to the House, allowing Manchin’s legislation to ride along the must-pass legislation. Government funding runs out Friday at midnight.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) praised Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), saying she’s the “most effective first-term senator” he’s seen during his 37 years in the upper chamber, Insider reports.

Said McConnell: “I’ve only known Kyrsten for four years, but she is, in my view — and I’ve told her this — the most effective first-term senator I’ve seen in my time in the Senate. She is, today, what we have too few of in the Democratic Party: a genuine moderate, and a dealmaker.”

“Not only am I committed to the 60 vote threshold, I have an incredibly unpopular view, I actually think we should restore the 60-vote threshold for the areas in which it has been eliminated already.”

— Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), on the Senate filibuster.

“You know why Lindsey kisses my ass? So I’ll endorse his friends.”

— Donald Trump, quoted in an excerpt of Maggie Haberman’s The Confidence Man, on Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

“The Old Crow’s a piece of shit.”

— Donald Trump, quoted in an excerpt of Maggie Haberman’s The Confidence Man, on Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Several GOP senators — including John Thune, Thom Tillis and Mike Rounds — raised new concerns about Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents, rejecting his claim that he could simply declassify the secret records by “thinking about it,” CNN reports.

“Many in both parties had assumed the Senate would cancel the first two weeks of October from the Senate calendar. Chuck Schumer has other plans,” Politico reports.

“The Senate majority leader said on Tuesday the chamber would be in session to process the annual National Defense Authorization Act, and possibly other nominations.”

“Well, the Senate was never a perfect place. But it was a better place.”

— Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT), quoted by the Washington Post.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) condemned “revenge politics” as Republicans resist his efforts to speed up the permitting process for energy projects, The Hill reports.

Said Manchin: “I’m hearing that the Republican leadership is upset and they’re saying ‘we’re not going to give a victory to Joe Manchin’ — Joe Manchin’s not looking for a victory. We’ve got a good piece of legislation that’s extremely balanced and I think it’ll prove itself in time. The bottom line is, how much suffering and how much pain do you want to inflict on the American people for the time.”

“Senate Republicans say Joe Manchin can’t count on them to save his energy permitting deal with Democratic leaders, potentially upending efforts to attach the centrist’s proposal to a must-pass government funding bill,” Politico reports.

“With progressives already balking, several Republicans said Monday night that they might not provide the votes needed to break a filibuster of permitting reform, a key cog of this summer’s Democratic climate, health care and tax deal. Though easing construction of energy projects is a longstanding core GOP goal, the party’s senators said they were under no obligation to cough up perhaps a dozen or more votes that Democrats need to get Manchin’s vision done.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) was heckled on a plane.

“I know everything about my caucus. I care about them. I love them.”

— Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), quoted by the New Republic.