By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Senate will aim to vote on a stop-gap bill to keep the federal government operating past a Friday deadline, as Democrats and Republicans bicker over an expected roughly $1.5 trillion funding bill, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday. “Over the weekend, appropriators held positive and productive conversations,” Schumer said in a speech to the Senate. Referring to a short-term bill known as a “continuing resolution,” he added, “Later this week members should be prepared to take quick action on a CR, a one-week CR, so we can give appropriat…