WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 (UPI) — The U.S. Congress approved on Wednesday a stop-gap spending bill that avoids a government shutdown as well as spends more than a billion dollars to fight Zika.
The U.S. Senate passed the bill by a 72-26 vote before it was passed by a 342-85 vote in the House of Representatives. The bill only funds the federal government through Dec. 9, but before then, lawmakers are expected to work out a funding bill for 2017.
The vote also allows members of Congress to get back to their home states for the election. President Obama is expected to sign the bill by Friday.
The bill includes $1.1 billion for states to fight the Zika virus as well as flood-relief money for Lousiana, Maryland and West Virginia.
A similar spending bill was defeated on Tuesday over Democrats objections to a lack of relief for victims of the Flint, Mich. water crisis.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. worked out a deal late Tuesday that brought Democrats support for the spending bill in return for a separate water resources bill that would provide $170 million in funds for Flint.
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