 "US Congress approves $1.1 trillion spending bill, averts shutdown")
Facing intense pressure to avoid a government shutdown, the US House of Representatives have narrowly passed a $1.1 trillion federal spending bill, sending it to the Senate after it was ushered through barely two hours before a midnight deadline.
Yesterday's 219-206 vote followed a bruising day of arm-twisting by the White House after dozens of Democrats revolted over pro-Wall Street and campaign-finance riders in the bill, dramatically splitting with President Barack Obama over the legislation that funds most federal operations through September.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said after the vote that his chamber will take up the must-pass legislation today.
The spending package, which would fund most federal operations through September 30, the end of the 2015 fiscal year, was the focus of extraordinary brinkmanship in Congress, a fitting cap to one of the most polarized eras in Washington.
The deal almost did not happen, forcing the White House and Obama, who came out in favor of the measure, into near-panic mode as they scrambled to get enough Democrats on board.
House Speaker John Boehner was forced to suspend proceedings in the chamber when he realized he was short, fueling a rancorous Capitol Hill showdown.
Progressive Democrats were furious over a clause buried deep in the 1,603-page bill that rolls back key financial regulations on Wall Street.
Top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi joined the revolt.
In a stunning rebuke of Obama on the House floor she blasted as 'blackmail' the effort to shred reforms in the so-called Dodd-Frank law that prevent big banks from making risky derivatives trades protected by taxpayer-insured funds.
Pelosi and others argued that the change opens the door to another big bank bailout that rescued foundering financial institutions during the worst of the Great Recession. That, Democrats fear, could lead to a repeat of conditions that fueled the financial crisis of 2007-2008.
Democrats are also angered by a rider which would dramatically expand the amount that wealthy individuals can contribute to political parties -- a move which would undercut campaign finance reforms from 2002.
Senior House Democrat Steve Israel warned that the two provisions were poison pills 'that Democrats can't swallow,' and said he hoped Boehner would strip them out and start anew.
Ultimately, 57 Democrats joined most Republicans in supporting the measure.
Yesterday's 219-206 vote followed a bruising day of arm-twisting by the White House after dozens of Democrats revolted over pro-Wall Street and campaign-finance riders in the bill, dramatically splitting with President Barack Obama over the legislation that funds most federal operations through September.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said after the vote that his chamber will take up the must-pass legislation today.
More From This Section
Congress passed a two-day extension to keep government open beyond yesterday's witching hour so that the Senate can debate and vote on the measure.
The spending package, which would fund most federal operations through September 30, the end of the 2015 fiscal year, was the focus of extraordinary brinkmanship in Congress, a fitting cap to one of the most polarized eras in Washington.
The deal almost did not happen, forcing the White House and Obama, who came out in favor of the measure, into near-panic mode as they scrambled to get enough Democrats on board.
House Speaker John Boehner was forced to suspend proceedings in the chamber when he realized he was short, fueling a rancorous Capitol Hill showdown.
Progressive Democrats were furious over a clause buried deep in the 1,603-page bill that rolls back key financial regulations on Wall Street.
Top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi joined the revolt.
In a stunning rebuke of Obama on the House floor she blasted as 'blackmail' the effort to shred reforms in the so-called Dodd-Frank law that prevent big banks from making risky derivatives trades protected by taxpayer-insured funds.
Pelosi and others argued that the change opens the door to another big bank bailout that rescued foundering financial institutions during the worst of the Great Recession. That, Democrats fear, could lead to a repeat of conditions that fueled the financial crisis of 2007-2008.
Democrats are also angered by a rider which would dramatically expand the amount that wealthy individuals can contribute to political parties -- a move which would undercut campaign finance reforms from 2002.
Senior House Democrat Steve Israel warned that the two provisions were poison pills 'that Democrats can't swallow,' and said he hoped Boehner would strip them out and start anew.
Ultimately, 57 Democrats joined most Republicans in supporting the measure.