US House passes government spending bill

Washington, Sep 21 (IANS) The Republicans-controlled US House of Representatives Friday approved a stopgap spending bill that strips out funding for President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law, setting up another bitter fiscal showdown days before much of the federal government is set to run out of money.

With no resolution, large parts of the government could shut down Oct. 1, and the nation's first default on federal debt could follow weeks later, The New York Times reported. 

The legislation was approved on a party line vote of 230-189. The short-term measure, referred to as the continuing resolution, would fund the government through Dec. 15 at current funding levels while prohibiting funding to implement the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly called Obamacare, Xinhua reported.

"We had a victory today for the American people, and frankly, we also had a victory for common sense," Speaker John A. Boehner said after the vote. "Our message to the United States Senate is real simple: The American people don't want the government shutdown and they don't want Obamacare."

The bill will now move to the Senate, where the Democrats are expected to restore the Obamacare funding before sending it back to the House.

If Congress can't pass a funding bill by Oct. 1 for the new fiscal year, the government will face a shutdown.