House approves funding bill and sends to Senate hours before government shutdown deadline [Video]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hours to go before a midnight government shutdown, the House approved a new plan late Friday from Speaker Mike Johnson that would temporarily fund federal operations and disaster aid but drops President-elect Donald Trump’s demands for a debt limit increase into the new year.

Johnson insisted Congress would “meet our obligations” and not allow federal operations to shutter ahead of the Christmas holiday season. But the day’s outcome was uncertain after Trump doubled down on his insistence that a debt ceiling increase be included in any deal — if not, he said in an early morning post, let the closures “start now.”

The bill was approved 366-34 and now goes to the Senate, for expected quick passage.

“We will not have a government shutdown,” Johnson said ahead of the vote.

It was the third attempt from Johnson, the beleaguered House speaker, to achieve one of the basic requirements of the federal government — keeping it open. And it raised …