US House passes stopgap spending bill to avert shutdown

WASHINGTON

The US House of Representatives passed a bill on Friday to fund the federal government until Nov. 21.

The Republican-led measure passed with a vote of 217-212, with Democrat Jared Golden voting in favor and Republicans Thomas Massie and Victoria Spartz opposing to avoid a partial government shutdown on Oct. 1.

The short-term funding bill now goes to the Senate, which is expected to vote on the measure on Friday afternoon, along with a separate Democratic proposal.

Sixty votes are required to advance a funding bill in the upper chamber. However, neither is expected to win the votes necessary to advance.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Friday that the ball is in Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's court.

"I hope he does the right thing. I hope he does not choose to shut the government down and inflict pain unnecessarily on the American people. I hope that they will vote on this clean, short-term CR (continuing resolution) so that we can continue the work to get our appropriations done," Johnson said after the vote.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune urged Democrats to vote with Republicans on "a clean, non-partisan" CR to fund the government and allow the Senate to complete additional appropriations work.

"Or they can vote for their own partisan CR and move the country one step closer to a shutdown," Thune said on the Senate floor.

Democratic leader Schumer, for his part, said President Donald Trump is saying he wants a shutdown.

"And Leader Thune and Speaker Johnson should resist Trump's bullying. They know the only way to pass a budget is with bipartisan negotiation," he said.