House passes funding bill, avoiding shutdown ahead of midterm elections

The House, in a bipartisan vote on Tuesday, passed a continuing resolution that funds the government through Dec. 11 -- avoiding a shutdown ahead of the midterm elections in November.

The House acted in rare fashion with the vote -- both by taking a bipartisan vote to avert a shutdown and doing so weeks ahead of the Oct. 1 deadline. Members of the House are up for reelection in the fall.

By a count of 370 to 48, the House cleared the measure -- sending it to President Donald Trump's desk for signature. Just 19 Republicans and 29 Democrats opposed the measure, which initially passed the Senate on Aug. 8.

Following the vote, Speaker Mike Johnson celebrated its passage and thumbed his nose at those who questioned or openly doubted its prospects.

"House Republicans are in charge here, and we're continuing to do the grown-up thing and make sure we get the job done. And we're happy that we just passed that continuing resolution to fund the government through early December, and then we'll continue through the process after the election," Johnson said. "But there will be no government shutdown. You can thank Republicans for our leadership in getting that done."

Late last year, there was a 43-day government shutdown -- the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. At issue was an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, which Democrats pushed for, but Trump and Republicans said they would not negotiate until the government reopened.