House Averts Government<br />Shutdown With Passing of<br />$1.4 Trillion Spending Deal.<br />On Dec. 17, the United States House of Representatives<br />voted to approve a $1.4 trillion spending deal to fund<br />the government through the 2020 fiscal year. .<br />Their decision came just days ahead of the<br />Dec. 20 deadline, preventing what many feared<br />would be another government shutdown. .<br />At this time last year, Congress failed<br />to agree on funding, which resulted in the<br />longest government shutdown in US history. .<br />Included in the $1.4 trillion spending deal is $1.37 billion<br />for border barriers, $425 million for election-security grants<br />and $1.5 billion for preventative opioid crisis grants.<br />$25 million is allocated for gun-violence research,<br />marking the first time in 20 years that Congress has<br />appropriated money for such research. .<br />Military and civilian federal workers will also see<br />a 3.1 percent pay raise if approved by the Senate. .<br />Lawmakers also agreed on an added provision that would<br />prevent anyone younger than 21 from buying tobacco products. .<br />White House counselor Kellyanne<br />Conway said Donald Trump is<br />“poised to sign” the legislation<br />once it reaches his desk.
