The U.S. House of Representatives passed a stopgap funding bill with overwhelming support from Democrats on Saturday after Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy abandoned previous demands for a partisan bill by party hardliners. Time remains short to avoid the fourth partial shutdown of the federal government in a decade, which is set to begin at 12:01 p.m. Sunday unless the Democratic-majority Senate passes the bill and President Joe Biden signs it into law in time.
McCarthy abandoned previous insistence by party hard-liners that any bill must have Republican votes to pass the House, a change that could lead to one of his far-right members trying to oust him from his leadership role.
The House voted 335-91 to fund the government for another 45 days, with more Democrats than Republicans supporting the plan.
The move marks a profound shift from earlier in the week, when a shutdown looked all but inevitable. A shutdown would mean most of the government's 4 million employees would not get paid, whether they are working or not, and would also shut down a range of federal services from national parks to financial regulators.
Federal agencies have developed detailed plans spelling out which services will continue, such as airport security and border patrol, and which must close, such as scientific research and nutritional assistance to 7 million poor mothers.
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