House passes short-term spending bill, staving off another fund fight during midterms

… <p>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed a short-term measure Tuesday to fund the federal government into early December, a move designed to avoid a chaotic shutdown as lawmakers campaign for reelection.</p> <p><strong>Watch the House proceedings live in our video player above.</strong></p> <p>Lawmakers needed to act before the fiscal year concludes at the end of September to avoid a funding lapse. They were determined not to bump up against that deadline during the campaign season following this past year's historic shutdowns.</p> <p>The House passed the bill by a vote of 370-48. The Senate has already overwhelmingly approved the measure, so it now moves to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature.</p> <p>"It gives the nation and our constituents certainty, certainty that the government will remain open, certainty that our service members will be paid," said Rep. Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.</p> <p>A record 43-day shutdown occurred last fall when the two parties disagreed on renewing an expiring tax credit that lowers the cost of health coverage obtained through Affordable Care Act marketplaces. Then came the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which lasted 76 days before lawmakers agreed to fund much of the department but not its immigration enforcement operations.</p> …