House unveils new stopgap funding bill to avert government shutdown

WASHINGTON - Republicans in the U.S. Congress on Thursday advanced stopgap legislation to keep the federal government operating past Friday when funding expires, seeking to avert a self-inflicted disaster shortly before the Christmas holiday season.

The House of Representatives voted to begin debate on a bill that would keep federal agencies humming along at current funding through Jan. 19 and avert a shutdown that would create political havoc in Washington.

A final House vote was set for later on Thursday and the Senate was expected to take up the measure on Thursday night.

'We're ready to work together across the aisle to ensure there is no lapse in funding for critical services,” Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor.

The House also cleared the way for debate on an $81 billion disaster aid bill to help Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and several states hit by this year's hurricanes and wildfires.

If Congress passes the temporary spending bill, lawmakers will have less than a month to negotiate broader budget issues. Republicans are pushing for an increase in military spending, while Democrats want increases for medical research, opioid treatment and other domestic priorities.

The House bill includes a modest increase of $4.7 billion for the Department of Defense to be used for missile defense and ship repair.

Democrats have unsuccessfully pushed to include protections for young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally when they were children. President Donald Trump has terminated a program that shielded them from deportation but has asked Congress to come up with a permanent solution by March.

McConnell said the Senate could hold a vote to protect the so-called 'Dreamers” in January.

Trump accused Democrats of pushing for a shutdown to shift attention from the tax cut plan that passed Congress this week. 'House Republicans, don't let this happen,” he wrote on Twitter.

The Trump administration does not want other elements added to the spending bill, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

The House bill includes $2.85 billion to fund the Children's Health Insurance Program through March and funding for community health centers and the Indian Health Service.

Additionally, the plan would extend the National Security Agency's expiring internet surveillance program, known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, through Jan. 19.

Other provisions address funding for veterans and the U.S. Coast Guard, according to the measure. A U.S. House aide also said the plan would address flood insurance.

Most government programs would be temporarily extended for a month at fiscal 2017 levels. Fiscal 2018 began Oct. 1 but Congress has failed to approve any of the regular funding bills for this year and instead has kept agencies running on a temporary basis.