US Congress averts govt shutdown

WASHINGTON, Mar 15 (AFP): The United States averted a government shutdown with hours to spare Friday as lawmakers already reeling from President Donald Trump's radical federal spending cuts voted to keep the lights on through September.

Facing a midnight deadline to fund the government or allow it to start winding down, Democrats dropped plans for a blockade on a Trump-backed bill passed earlier this week by the House-clearing its path for approval by the Republican-led Senate.

"In their typical fashion, Senate Democrats engaged in political theater to delay the inevitable and cause instability," said Ted Cruz, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee.

"Americans voted for change under President Trump and Republican leadership after four years of chaos. The government is funded, let's get back to work."

But Chuck Schumer, their leader in the upper chamber, shocked his rank-and-file ahead of the crunch vote by announcing he would back the Republican-drafted proposal.