The US House of Representatives voted to avert a government shutdown with just hours to spare, with Democrats joining Republicans to advance a funding bill keeping the lights on through mid-March.
Politicians sent a package to the Senate that would keep federal agencies running through mid-March – but the upper chamber only has until midnight local time to follow suit or federal agencies will begin shutting.
Although the House is run by the Republicans, who introduced the bill, 34 of the party’s backbenchers voted against it, while almost every Democrat was a yes.
“Today, Democrats stood firm in our commitment to collaboration, not division. The American…