Washington (CNN) -- A Republican measure to keep the
government funded through September while softening the impact of
forced spending cuts on the military and veterans affairs programs won
approval from the GOP-led House on Wednesday.
The proposal, known as a
continuing resolution, passed by a 267-151 vote, with more than 50
Democrats joining most Republicans in supporting it.
It now goes to the
Democratic-led Senate, which is expected to make changes to further
soften the impact of the forced spending cuts on non-military programs.
The continuing resolution is needed to extend authorization for government spending beyond the current March 27 deadline.
A partial government
shutdown would occur if Congress fails to extend funding authorization
by the deadline in three weeks' time, but leaders of both parties say
they don't want another political showdown over the legislation.
Under the proposal
sponsored by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers,
R-Kentucky, total government spending for the fiscal year that ends
September 30 would adhere to the figure negotiated by President Barack
Obama and Congress in 2011.
The measure also includes
the forced spending cuts -- known in Washington jargon as sequestration
-- that took effect last Friday when Obama and congressional
Republicans were unable to reach a compromise to replace or avert them.
However, it would allow
Pentagon and Veterans Affairs officials to shift funding to protect top
priority programs, and also include provisions to maintain FBI and
border security spending.
"This is a bill to keep
the government operating while we debate then how we deal with
sequestration," Rogers argued on the House floor before Wednesday's
vote.
Democrats responded that
the continuing resolution and the forced spending cuts it incorporates
would leave vital domestic programs such as Head Start underfunded for
the rest of the fiscal year.
They call for
Republicans to negotiate an alternative to the forced spending cuts to
prevent the harshest effects from occurring.
"This is a bill that reinforces the sequester," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California.
