WASHINGTON — A temporary funding measure that would keep the government open past a midnight deadline has sailed through the Senate and should shortly make its way through a badly divided House and on to President Barack Obama by Wednesday night.

The 78-20 tally represented a vote of confidence for a pragmatic approach engineered by top GOP leaders determined to avoid a government shutdown.

The approach has angered tea party lawmakers who wanted to use the must-pass measure to punish Planned Parenthood for its practices involving the supply of tissue from aborted fetuses for scientific research.

The House is slated to approve the measure Wednesday afternoon, but GOP leaders will need to rely on Democratic votes to balance out opposition from tea party supporters who want to “defund” Planned Parenthood.