WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Represen-tatives eliminated the threat of a government shutdown next week, approving yesterday a stop-gap funding bill that temporarily eases partisan tensions after months of bitter fights over budgets.
In a rare show of cooperation, the Republican-controlled House voted 318-109 to approve legislation that keeps government agencies and programs funded through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.
The debate over how to shrink U.S. deficits now shifts to rival budget plans from Republicans and Democrats for the 2014 fiscal year starting on Oct. 1.
Just before the government funding vote, the House passed Representative Paul Ryan’s plan to balance the budget in 10 years through deep cuts to healthcare and social programs while lowering tax rates.
Senate Democrats’ plan, which raises tax revenue and calls for more modest cuts to aid job growth, is expected to pass in the Senate on Friday.
While the two parties’ blueprints are vastly different, lawmakers were encouraged by bipartisan cooperation shown in avoiding a damaging government shutdown.
Both parties have been chastened by bruising budget fights like the “fiscal cliff” negotiations that went down to the wire in January, and the failure by Congress and the White House to halt the automatic spending cuts triggered on March 1.
