House approves stopgap spending bill to avert shutdown before midterms

The U.S. House of Representatives approved a continuing resolution that funds the federal government until Dec. 4, voting 220-205 along party lines. The measure now moves to the Senate, where bipartisan support will be required for passage.

Republican leaders said the bill is intended to avoid a funding lapse after the current authority expires on Sept. 30, arguing that waiting for Senate action could allow Democrats to block funding. House appropriations chair Tom Cole said, "Our conference refuses to let the obstruction and inaction of Senate Democrats trigger another shutdown at the end of September. That is why we are acting before a funding lapse crisis, not in response to it."

Democratic appropriations ranking member Rosa DeLauro called the stopgap funding "necessary" but criticized the legislation as hastily prepared and lacking reforms for border patrol operations. She said, "We are putting the cart before the horse by considering this legislation without understanding the full scope of what is needed to continue operations through December 4."

The House has already passed three of the twelve annual appropriations bills for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, while the Senate has not approved any. If the Senate does not pass the resolution, negotiations are expected to intensify after the congressional recess in September, with the upcoming midterm elections adding political pressure.