Congress Passes Temporary Spending Bill to Prevent Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON – Congress has approved a big compromise spending bill that averts a weekend government shutdown that neither party wanted.

Passage of the bill Thursday came despite conservatives' complaints about excessive spending and liberals' objections to a provision letting the government continue classifying pizza sauces served to school children as a vegetable.

The Senate approved the measure Thursday evening, shortly after the House passed it.

The legislation would keep the government's doors open through Dec. 16. The government's new budget year started Oct. 1 but since Congress hasn't finished a single spending bill for the year, agencies have been functioning on temporary authority that expires after midnight Friday.

The votes highlighted fissures among Republicans, with many GOP lawmakers voting against passage.