US Congress passes $38 billion spending cut bill

WASHINGTON - The US Congress on

Thursday approved $38 billion in spending cuts this year as

part of a bill to fund the federal government through Sept. 30,

sending the legislation to President Barack Obama to sign into

law.

After months of wrangling between Democrats and

Republicans, the Senate voted 81 to 19 in favor of the budget

bill for the rest of this fiscal year.

Passage came shortly

after the House of Representatives voted 260-167 for the

measure.

Without approval of this bill, US government funding for

most agencies would have expired at midnight on Friday.