The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a $447 billion bill that increases funding for large parts of the U.S. government. The lower chamber of Congress passed the spending legislation by a vote of 221 to 202, with no Republicans voting in favor, and sent it to the Senate, which must approve it by December 18 or extend a temporary measure to keep the government operational. The legislation funds several government agencies and increases spending for the priorities of President Barack Obama, including building high-speed trains and improving oversight of financial markets. The bill strengthens lending programs for small businesses, which the Obama administration has identified as a way to reduce the country's 10 percent unemployment rate, and advances liberal social policies.
