House OKs Bill Averting Federal Shutdown : Congress: Stopgap spending measure gives GOP, White House six weeks to work out budget deal. Senate is also expected to approve legislation.

The House approved a stopgap spending measure Thursday to prevent the federal government from shutting down this weekend, at the end of the fiscal year.

The bill, negotiated by the White House and GOP congressional leaders, was approved by voice vote in the House and appeared all but certain to win Senate approval today.

The action gives Congress and the White House six more weeks to work on details of next year’s federal budget without interrupting paychecks for federal employees or closing down government offices or programs.

“It will give us the additional time we need to work out individual bills,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bob Livingston (R-La.).

It also averts an early showdown in what promises to be an autumn full of budget battles between the White House and congressional Republicans, who are determined to significantly reduce the power and scope of government and slash the President’s priority programs.

In one indication of budget fireworks to come, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) allowed action to be postponed on a spending bill for education, training and health programs after Democrats voted twice to block floor debate on the measure. The bill is one of 13 appropriations bills that Congress must approve and the President must sign to operate the government for the next fiscal year.

Democrats and the White House oppose several aspects of the $62.8-billion measure. Among provisions they find objectionable are a provision that would nullify the President’s executive order withholding federal contracts from companies that hire permanent replacements for striking workers and funding that many Democrats consider inadequate for Head Start, which helps disadvantaged preschoolers, and other education and training programs.

On the temporary funding measure, White House and congressional leaders had reached agreement Wednesday to keep money flowing to agencies and departments until Nov. 13, six weeks after the new fiscal year begins on Sunday.

The agreement calls for reduced spending throughout the federal government but does not cut Democratic priorities as sharply as congressional Republicans had wanted. The dozens of programs Republicans want to eliminate, for instance, would continue to receive funding at 90% of current levels.

GOP leaders indicated that their willingness to compromise on the stopgap legislation does not signal the same flexibility on the yearlong spending bills. “This is not the place to pick a fight with the President,” Livingston said.

Also Thursday, the House voted to guarantee funding for the international space station through its scheduled completion in 2002.

In what was hailed by congressional leaders as a historic vote for the project after many near-death experiences, the House authorized--without a floor fight--$13.1 billion to finish the project in seven years. Both the House and Senate have approved the first $2.1 billion for the next budget year.

Times staff writer Gebe Martinez contributed to this story.