US Congress passes stopgap funding to avert govt shutdown

WASHINGTON: The US Congress, facing an end-of-week deadline, passed a funding stopgap Thursday that averts a government shutdown and provides lawmakers and President Donald Trump with two weeks of breathing room to strike a budget deal.

The Senate easily passed the bipartisan measure that funds government until December 22, just hours after the House of Representatives did the same.

The bill now heads to Trump, who will need to work with Democrats and his fellow Republicans to thrash out a budget plan for fiscal year 2018 that will earn the support of lawmakers battling over policy and priorities. 

Earlier, The Pentagon  warned of possible weapons delays and other military ramifications if the government shuts down over a budget deal impasse or passes a stop-gap spending bill to avert it.