Senate votes on budget bill, passes it back to House

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US Capitol building

The Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate passed a new version of a government spending bill that averts a government shutdown but preserves funding for the Affordable Care Act, passing the issue back to the Republican-controlled House.

The House had previously passed a version of the bill that funds the government. The difference, of course, is that the House version cut all funding for the health care bill, often called Obamacare. Before the Senate vote, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) attempted a filibuster-like speech on the Senate floor intended to delay the Senate vote on the bill.

Ultimately, fewer than half of the Republicans in the Senate voted with Cruz. That vote was against the Senate funding bill, because that bill keeps Obamacare funded.

Next, the House will vote on the Senate’s funding bill.

See the story at Reuters.