Congress Passes Stopgap Funding Bill

The US government will stay open—for at least two more weeks—after the House and Senate passed a short-term funding bill Thursday, Politico reports. The bill, which funds the government through Dec. 22, passed the House 235-193 and Senate 81-14 just ahead of the Friday deadline. Republicans will still need Democratic votes to pass a long-term spending bill before 2018, and Democrats are taking the opportunity to make demands. According to the AP, Democratic leaders discussed extending a program for children's health, hurricane aid, and protection for Dreamers during a meeting with Republican leaders and President Trump on Thursday at the White House. The meeting was called "productive" and "constructive" by all sides. (Read more government shutdown stories.)