As Congress fights over public funding of Planned Parenthood and other budget issues, the U.S. government is again nearing another federal government shutdown
WASHINGTON—Congress on Wednesday avoided a government shutdown by passing a bill that keeps the government running through mid-December 11, but leaves unresolved a divide over federal spending that threatens to resurface this winter with more perilous economic consequences.
The bill, signed by President Barack Obama hours before the government’s current funding was set to expire at midnight, halted—but is unlikely to end—a partisan fight over Planned Parenthood and an internal GOP war over strategy that helped end the career of House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio).
Congress now confronts a new Dec. 11 deadline to try to strike a long-term budget deal at a time when House Republicans are losing their most experienced leader and remain split about how to negotiate with Mr. Obama and Democrats.
