US House passes 2-bill package as shutdown deadline nears

​​​​​​​By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US House passed a two-bill government funding package Wednesday as lawmakers scramble to advance spending measures ahead of a Jan. 30 deadline to avert a shutdown.

Lawmakers approved the measure in a 341-79 vote, providing funding for the State and Treasury agencies through September, as well as the Internal Revenue Service, the judiciary and the Federal Trade Commission for the remainder of the fiscal year.

The legislation heads to the Senate, where lawmakers are expected to take it up alongside other funding measures next week.

Congress has approved three of the 12 annual appropriations bills required to keep the government funded and must pass the remaining nine by Jan. 30 or resort to a temporary continuing resolution to avert a shutdown.