US House passes stopgap spending bill to avoid govt shutdown

Washington DC: The United States House of Representatives passed a Republican-led bill aimed at avoiding a government shutdown.

However, the fight to get the bill through Congress isn't over yet. This legislation would likely be dead on arrival in the Senate, where Democrats have said they have enough votes to block the legislation.

The final vote was 230-197, with six Democrats voting for the measure and 11 Republicans voting against it, reported the Hill.

Democrats refused to support the legislation, which would extend funding through February 16, because it did not include a solution for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration program.

They're insisting that lawmakers find a way to protect the Dreamers sooner rather than later before agreeing to a budget deal that would pave the way for a long-term government spending plan.

Senate Democrats also oppose the measure in part because of the immigration issue, the report said.

The stopgap measure would push the funding deadline to 16 February and, in an attempt to sway Democrats, reauthorize a popular children's health insurance program for six years.

But as the House prepared to vote on the measure on Thursday, Trump threw flak at the bill, tweeting: "CHIP [the Children's Health Insurance Program] should be part of a long-term solution, not a 30 Day, or short-term, extension!"

If the bill ultimately becomes law, it would be the fourth temporary funding patch since September.