The House late Wednesday easily passed a bill to fund the government through Dec. 9, a vote that avoided a partial government shutdown and also allowed lawmakers to escape back to their campaigns.
But the vote dramatically split the Republican Party, a sign that GOP leaders are once again angering conservatives who want a more thoughtful process when it comes to spending. Many conservatives were also opposed to language in the bill that didn’t go as far as they wanted toward blocking funds for clinics associated with Planned Parenthood.
Republicans split on the bill 170-75. Only 10 Democrats voted against it, and the measure passed easily, 342-85.
The House vote came after the the two parties reached a deal on how to ensure federal aid to Flint, Mich., which is still suffering through a lead-water crisis.
Republicans in the Senate originally tried to include money in the huge spending bill for states affected by flooding in the South, but without any money for Flint. Democrats objected, and said they wanted money for Flint.
Late Tuesday, the two parties reached a deal to provide for Flint money in a separate bill that would move after the November election. That allowed most Democrats in the Senate to accept the spending bill, and the Senate quickly approved it before leaving town Wednesday afternoon.
The House vote sends the bill to the White House with just a few days left before the fiscal year ends on Friday. Failure to pass a bill would have led to a partial government shutdown, although it seemed clear throughout the process that a shutdown was going to be avoided.
The bill also provides $1.1 billion in money to fight the Zika virus.
Extending funding only through Dec. 9 means the lame-duck Congress will have to return after the November election and pass a longer-term funding bill.
