House to vote on stopgap government spending bill

[March 15, 2011]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House is set to vote Tuesday on a measure cutting $6 billion from the government's budget as the price for keeping it open three more weeks while the White House and Republican lawmakers seek a longer-term agreement on spending cuts.

The measure is needed to prevent a partial government shutdown when a temporary funding bill expires Friday at midnight. Dozens of federal agencies have been kept open under a series of stopgap bills since the 2011 budget year began last October. Democrats and Republicans are accusing each other of not showing flexibility, and some have expressed frustration at the succession of short-term bills. Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, who chairs the Republican Study Committee, said Monday that Congress "must do more than cut spending in bite-sized pieces." [Associated Press] Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.