US House passes spending bill to avert shutdown

The US Congress has narrowly avoided a government shutdown by passing a crucial spending bill in the early hours of Saturday. The bill, which aims to fund federal agencies through mid-March, was approved by the House with an overwhelming margin of 366-34 and subsequently by the Senate with a margin of 85-11. The bill includes $100 billion in disaster relief for hurricane-hit states and farmers. However, a key demand from President-elect Donald Trump that lawmakers increase the federal debt limit was not included in the bill.