US House passes spending bill

The US House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a stopgap measure to head off a government shutdown until early December, with its Republican leaders seeking to defuse a volatile issue in the run-up to the November midterm elections, Report informs via The Guardian.

The continuing resolution authorizing government spending until December 4 passed by a vote of 220-205, roughly along party lines. It next heads to the Senate, where it will need to win bipartisan support to clear the chamber.

The government's current spending authority expires on September 30, but top Republicans had argued the measure's passage was necessary to ensure that Democrats do not block government funding measures in the Senate.

They did so last year for a record 43 days in protest against the expiration of tax credits that lowered some healthcare costs, and twice again this year, to push for reforms to immigration enforcement operations after the killings of two US citizens in Minneapolis.