WASHINGTON (AP) — Coverage of efforts in Congress to repeal the health care law and agree on a spending bill to keep the government open (all times local):
Updated 12:01 p.m.: Congress has sent President Donald Trump a short-term spending bill preventing a partial government shutdown on Saturday, his 100th day in office.
But lawmakers have failed to take action on two measures Trump would have loved to claim as victories.
Bipartisan talks are continuing over remaining issues in a $1 trillion measure financing federal agencies through Sept. 30. And House Republican leaders have given up trying to win enough votes to push a GOP health care overhaul through the House until at least next week.
The temporary spending bill will keep agency doors open for another week. The Senate sent the measure to Trump for his signature by voice vote after the House approved it easily on a 382-30 vote.
Updated 11 a.m.: House members have easily voted to approve a short-term spending bill that would avoid a partial government shutdown at midnight.
The measure gives negotiators until next Friday to resolve final differences over a $1 trillion bill financing federal agencies through Sept. 30. That’s the end of the current fiscal year.
While the vote was not over, the chamber was on track to overwhelmingly to approve the weeklong measure and send it to the Senate. Senators are expected to approve it and ship it to President Donald Trump for his signature in time for federal facilities to continue to operate.
Significantly, Congress did not vote Friday on a revised Republican health care bill that has stalled because it lacks needed votes. The White House was hoping the House would approve the bill by Saturday, Trump’s 100th day in office.
Updated 3:29 a.m.: President Donald Trump 100th day in office is coming Saturday. And he seems destined to serve it without House passage of a major Republican health care bill or enactment of a budget financing the government for the rest of this year.
But at least the government probably won’t be shut down — for at least another week.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said late Friday that the House won’t vote on a reworked health care overhaul until at least next week. Republicans fell short Thursday in their effort to round up enough GOP votes to pass it.
Final agreement has yet to be reached on a $1 trillion package financing the government for this year. So lawmakers have prepared a bill financing agencies for one week while talks continue.
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