WASHINGTON -  The U.S. Senate approved a long-term highway bill with three years of funding for roads, bridges and rails on Thursday, and sent the measure on to the House of Representatives, where it is unlikely to find a welcoming reception. The 65-34 vote sets the stage for a fall debate between House and Senate lawmakers over how to address the long-term needs of America’s crumbling transportation infrastructure, while simultaneously trying to avoid a government shutdown on Oct. 1. To keep highway funds flowing in the meantime, the Republican-controlled Senate also prepared to vote on a three-month House measure to keep money flowing to transportation projects through Oct. 29. Without a short-term patch, the federal Highway Trust Fund would become insolvent on Saturday.