Congress voting Thursday to avert shutdown and keep federal government funded through early March

Congress is expected to extend current spending and keep the federal government open with votes in the Senate and House on Thursday, avoiding a shutdown and punting a final budget package until early March. The stopgap bill comes after a bipartisan spending deal between House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., earlier this month and a subsequent agreement to extend current spending. The temporary measure will run to March 1 for some federal agencies whose approved funds are set to run out Friday and extend the remainder of government operations to March 8.