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Congress clears stopgap spending bill, $1.1B to fight Zika

Posted at 10:01 PM, Sep 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-28 22:01:15-04

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is sending President Barack Obama a bill to keep the government operating through Dec. 9 and provide $1.1 billion in long-delayed funding to battle the Zika virus.

The House cleared the measure by a 342-85 vote just hours after a bipartisan Senate tally. The votes came after top congressional leaders broke through a stalemate over aid to help Flint, Michigan, address its water crisis. Top Republicans gave renewed guarantees that Flint will get funding later this year to help rid its water system of lead.

The hybrid spending measure was Capitol Hill’s last major to-do item before the election.

The bill caps months of wrangling over money to fight the mosquito-borne Zika virus. The spending bill also includes $500 million for rebuilding assistance to flood-ravaged Louisiana and other states.