Congress Averts Government Shutdown, Passes Short-Term Spending Bill | WPN World People News

U.S. Congress has approved a last-minute, two-day extension of government funding, narrowly averting a partial federal government shutdown.

With just an hour to go before the midnight deadline, the Senate late Thursday approved the measure, minutes after it was passed by the House of Representatives.

Though the immediate threat of a government shutdown was lifted, the Senate now has just two days to approve a wider $1.1 trillion spending bill for 2015.

A major hurdle was cleared Thursday when the House voted 219 to 206 to approve the spending measure.

Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner warned lawmakers that if they did not pass a bill Thursday -- even a temporary measure to fund the government -- they would have to stay in Washington until Christmas.

Lawmakers from both sides and President Barack Obama urged passage, even though conservative Republicans were angry over what was not in the bill and liberal Democrats were upset over what was there.

Conservatives said the measure does not block President Obama from taking executive action on immigration.

Liberals were furious over last-minute provisions that eased regulations on big banks, saying taxpayers would be responsible for bailing out a bank that fails.

Source: Voice of America