House passes spending bill to avert government shutdown

The House floor ahead of a vote on a funding bill on March 22. House TVThe House is now voting on the $1.2 trillion funding bill, just 13 hours ahead of the midnight funding deadline. The vote requires a two-thirds majority – or roughly 288 votes – to pass. If the House passes the legislation, it would next go to the Senate where lawmakers must reach agreement to swiftly approve the bill.The package, which runs more than 1,000 pages, would provide funding for the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, State and the legislative branch….