House approves government funding bill, throws issue to Senate

The U.S. Capitol building is lit at dusk ahead of planned votes on tax reform in Washington, U.S., December 18, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/Files

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill to fund government operations through Feb. 16 and avoid agency shutdowns this weekend when existing money expires. The bill still must be approved by the Senate, where it faces an uncertain future. (Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Eric Beech)