US House of Representatives pass stopgap spending bill

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) – The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a stopgap spending measure that could narrowly avoid a government shutdown if the Senate follows suit.

The House voted 326-96 in overwhelming support of the legislation.

Lawmakers have until Friday to pass a spending bill, but there is significant opposition in the Senate where senators from states with a strong mining community have taken issue with the legislation's limited extension of health care benefits for miners.

Former President Harry Truman guaranteed that miners receive health care and pensions for life, but the bill funds only their health care benefits temporarily past an end-of-year deadline.

"I hope they'll reconsider because they're not going to be able to achieve the goal that they are seeking," Sen. John Cornyn said in a statement, urging Senate Democrats to pass the continuing resolution.

"Our friends across the aisle need to face up to the reality that if they somehow prevent us from passing this Continuing Resolution, it will be on their hands," he added.

If signed into law, the budget battle will fall to the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump as the government will be financed through April -- three months after he takes office.