House adopts ‘clean’ stopgap funding bill possibly averting shutdown
On Thursday, the United States House of Representatives voted 385-to-25 to approve a stopgap funding bill that would keep the government running through December 20th. The bill is seen as a way to avoid a partial government shutdown. The Senate is expected to pass the measure before the midnight deadline on Friday. The bill is known as a clean measure because it doesn’t include any of the contentious provisions related to President Trump’s border wall or changes to immigration policy.
The move came after the House failed to pass a short-term spending bill Tuesday that would have also included a number of other unpopular features, including a provision to fund the president’s proposed border wall and changes to the Affordable Care Act. Those unpopular features put the bill in jeopardy and forced House Republicans to put together the clean measure.
The bill will likely pass the Senate, where it is expected to be supported by both Republicans and Democrats. The passage of the bill will maintain funding for the government until a budget can be negotiated and passed for the 2020 fiscal year.