House approves clean stopgap to fund government through December

The House passed a clean stopgap funding bill to extend federal operations through Dec. 4 in a largely party-line 220-205 vote, aiming to avert a September funding lapse and pressure Senate Democrats while avoiding new policy riders. The measure moves to the Senate, where leaders are weighing a version with White House anomalies or a separate reconciliation path, and Democrats criticized the move as bypassing bipartisan negotiations. The broader update batch also highlights Cornyn threatening to block ambassadors over AIDS funding, Rep. Cleo Fields’ decision not to seek reelection, and forthcoming Senate debates on related funding and governance issues.