Washington: Agencies
The Republican-led US House of Representatives approved an agreement to avoid a partial government shutdown starting at the end of the week.
According to the Al Arabiya website, the consensus package consisting of six government funding bills was approved by more than the required two-thirds majority, and now requires the US Senate to vote on it.
The vote took place on the eve of President Joe Biden's annual State of the Union address as he seeks to win a second term against his Republican rival, Donald Trump.
Five months into the fiscal year, Congress has yet to approve 12 annual spending bills that make up the federal budget, with many public departments facing midnight deadlines on Friday.
The House of Representatives' approval of a $460 billion package - reached after months of intense bipartisan negotiations - brings the United States one step closer to keeping the government funded through the end of the fiscal year on September 30.
The bill, which funds the Departments of Agriculture, Justice, Interior, Transportation, Housing, Veterans Affairs, Commerce and Energy, still must pass the Senate before President Joe Biden can sign it into law and avoid a partial shutdown.
But the text covers only less than a third of total discretionary spending, and some contentious files have been postponed for a second bill that should reach Biden's desk by March 22.
This controversial tranche covers the budget of the military, border security, Congress and various other federal departments and agencies.