WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Tuesday moved toward approving more than $500 billion to keep the government operating through September 2008 and meeting President Bush's demand for new Iraq war funds.

By a vote of 70-25, the Senate attached a Republican amendment adding $40 billion for the war in Iraq to the fiscal 2008 spending bill. The money would not be saddled with any of the conditions Democrats have sought for ending combat, now nearing five years.

"We need to pass this spending bill, with troop funds, without any strings and without any further delay," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said.

The vote came after the White House issued a statement warning Bush would veto the bill if it didn't have the unrestricted war funding.

When coupled with about $30 billion the House approved Monday in additional funds for Afghanistan, Bush would have a new $70 billion "bridge fund" to wage war in the two countries well into 2008, his final full year in office.