US House passes bill to fast-track passage of debt limit increase

The U.S. House of Representatives late on Tuesday approved a measure allowing Congress to fast-track legislation raising the federal government's debt limit and stave off a potential unprecedented default.

The Senate is expected to take up the measure, which prevents the use of stalling tactics, on Thursday.

That would speed the way for Congress to consider separate legislation to actually increase the current $28.9 trillion limit on federal borrowing authority to a still-to-be-determined level.

The House voted 222-212 in favor of the measure designed to speed approval of a debt limit increase in the often-plodding Senate. Only one Republican backed