Arizona Democrats joined Republicans in the U.S. House to approve a government spending bill, handing congressional leaders a last-minute lifeline to avert a partial government shutdown scheduled to occur at midnight.
The spending bill now heads to the Democrat-held U.S. Senate.
In what has become a recurring theme on Capitol Hill, some Arizona Republicans had become key holdouts in the negotiations leading up to the Friday vote. They have fiercely opposed any additional spending, even if it means temporarily suspending some of the government’s operations. Other Republicans backed compromise efforts that would have modestly increased spending.
The Democrats, meanwhile, initially held out after Republicans abandoned a bipartisan-crafted deal earlier this week. But they joined with the GOP as the shutdown deadline neared.
The House approved the latest package by a vote of 366-34-1.
The bill would continue funding the government through March, and it would include additional money for hurricane relief and an aid package for U.S. farmers. Currently, government funding expires at the end of the day on Friday.