US House to pass 6-month spending bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — As its last major act before leaving Washington for the fall campaign, the House is voting to put the government on autopilot for six months.

The temporary spending bill is needed to avert a government shutdown when the current budget year expires Sept. 30. At issue are the day-to-day operating budgets of Cabinet agencies that are funded annually by Congress through 12 appropriations bills.

Today's vote represents a retreat by tea party House Republicans, since the stopgap measure permits spending at a pace that's $19 billion above the stringent budget plan authored by GOP vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

Instead, the measure permits spending at the higher budget "caps" permitted under last summer's hard-fought budget and debt deal between President Barack Obama and Capitol Hill Republicans. Typically, short-term spending bills freeze agency budgets at current levels, but today's measure actually would permit an across-the-board 0.6 percent increase in keeping with the budget deal.

Ryan was scheduled today to make his first appearance at the Capitol since being named to the GOP ticket. He'll vote in favor of the measure.

The Senate is expected to easily pass the bill next week and then is likely to exit Washington for the campaign.