Bill to avert government shutdown passes House

Washington

THE US House of Representatives passed a stop-gap funding measure late on Thursday that would avert a government shutdown, sending it to the Senate where Democrats have vowed to block it.

With the federal government set to run out of money on Friday at midnight (Saturday 1pm, Singapore time) - the eve of the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump's inauguration - the bill cleared the House with a 230-197 vote.

But prospects appeared gloomy in the Senate, where Democrats eager for leverage on budget and immigration deals were intent on shooting it down.

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said that if agreement is not reached by Friday ni…