The House on Wednesday approved a three-month government funding bill to avoid an end-of-the-month shutdown, sending the package to the Senate for consideration. The chamber cleared the

Congress voted Wednesday evening to approve a stop-gap spending bill to fund government programs through December 20. The bipartisan spending bill postpones the debate on full-year funding levels for federal programs until after the election, and avoids a shutdown. Government agencies run out of money on September 30.