US House of Representatives approves budget deal
Washington - US lawmakers in the lower House of Representatives approved Thursday a compromise budget deal that will avert a costly government shutdown and minimize damage from across the board spending cuts.
The chamber approved the bipartisan measure 332-94.
The measure was seen as imperfect by both Democrats and Republicans, but would fund the government for the next two years in a bid to avoid the partisan gridlock that prompted a government shutdown in October.
The measure hashed out by negotiators from the House and the upper Senate must now be approved by Senate before President Barack Obama can sign it into law.
Lawmakers from both parties said they saw the measure as an imperfect compromise that left many crucial fiscal challenges unresolved, but it passed with strong support from Democrats and Republicans.
"This agreement is better than the alternative, but it misses a huge opportunity to do what this country expects us to do and that is put this nation on a fiscally sustainable path," Democrat Steny Hoyer said before the vote.//DPA
