Congress approves biomedical bill as leaders eye adjournment

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress sent President Barack Obama bipartisan legislation today to beef up research on cancer and other diseases, battle drug abuse and speed government approvals of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

By 94-5, the Senate sent the measure to President Barack Obama for his certain signature. The House easily approved the legislation last week.

The measure plans $6.3 billion over the coming decade, including $1.8 billion for a cancer research "moonshot" strongly supported by Vice President Joe Biden, whose son Beau died of the disease. It also envisions giving states $1 billion over two years to prevent and treat abuse of opioids and other addictive drugs like heroin, and it reshapes federal mental health programs.

The vote came as lawmakers raced toward adjourning Congress for the year by working on a spending bill that would boost anti-terror and disaster aid accounts. It would also grease the way for retired Gen. James Mattis to be President-elect Donald Trump's secretary of defense.

Stopgap spending legislation unveiled Tuesday evening would provide $10 billion for overseas military and diplomatic operations, while southern states like Louisiana, North Carolina, and Texas would receive the bulk of a $4.1 billion disaster-aid package.

The temporary spending measure, scheduled for House and Senate votes later in the week, would keep the government open through April.

It would also prevent the government from shutting down this weekend and buy several months for the new Congress and incoming Trump administration to wrap up more than $1 trillion worth of unfinished agency budget bills.