The House narrowly passed a seven-week extension of federal spending authority Friday morning, setting the stage for dueling Senate votes later Friday before a weeklong recess ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown.
The final tally in the House was 217-212, with GOP Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Victoria Spartz of Indiana voting against the bill. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine was the only Democrat to back the bill.
Democrats want to negotiate with Republicans over extending health insurance subsidies that are set to lapse. The official expiration date in current law is Dec. 31, and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., argues the time to deal with that issue is later this year, not on a temporary spending bill to keep the government open.
