By Natalie Andrews, Kristina Peterson and Siobhan Hughes 

WASHINGTON -- The House narrowly passed a one-month spending bill Thursday, but it faces enough opposition to be derailed in the Senate, leaving lawmakers without a clear path for avoiding a partial government shutdown this weekend.

In a 230-197 vote, the House approved a short-term spending bill that would keep the government funded through Feb. 16. It also reauthorizes the Children's Health Insurance Program for six years and delays three Affordable Care Act taxes.

Six Democrats voted in favor of the measure; 11 Republicans opposed it.

But GOP leaders' victory could prove short-lived, since the stopgap bill currently doesn't have enough support to clear the Senate, just one day before the government's funding expires at 12:01 a.m. EST Saturday.

The Senate was expected to begin considering the bill as soon as Thursday night. The first vote would be on a motion to proceed that would need just 50 votes to pass. Democrats are likely to support the first motion to buy more time to reach a better deal, a congressional aide said.

Conservative House Republicans had questioned all week whether GOP leaders had sufficient support for the one-month bill, which was unpopular on both sides of the aisle. But enough members of the House Freedom Caucus, a group of roughly three dozen conservatives, and other reluctant Republicans ultimately decided a short-term bill was preferable to a government shutdown.

Immediately after the short-term bill passed the House, GOP leaders sought to direct any blame for a shutdown on the Senate Democrats whose votes are needed in that chamber, launching a "schumershutdown.com" website.

"Whether there is a government shutdown or not is entirely up to them," House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) told reporters. "Sen. Schumer, do not shut down the federal government. It is risky, it is reckless and it is wrong."

Rep. Mark Meadows (R., N.C.), chairman of the Freedom Caucus, said Thursday evening he had reached a deal with Mr. Ryan to later vote on "provisions that have to do with our military readiness" that Mr. Meadows said would enable many in his group to support the one-month bill.

As part of the deal with the Freedom Caucus, House GOP leaders pledged to hold a vote on a full-year defense bill before the State of the Union on Jan. 30, a House GOP aide said.

GOP leaders also agreed to try to build support for a conservative immigration bill written by four House Republicans but didn't commit to a floor vote, another House GOP aide said.

Democrats, who forced Republican leaders to come up with enough votes on their own, were opposed to the bill because they said it left many other issues unresolved. They have been seeking to use their leverage in the spending negotiations to reach a deal on the fate of Dreamers, young illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. by their parents.

President Donald Trump in September ended an Obama-era program shielding the Dreamers from deportation. He gave Congress until March to negotiate a replacement to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. Democrats, knowing their votes are needed for spending bills in the Senate, have been pushing to reach an broader immigration agreement that protects the Dreamers.

In the Senate, spending bills need at least 60 votes to clear procedural hurdles, giving Democrats the power to derail the bill. Without an immigration deal, most Senate Democrats said they were prepared to oppose the spending measure.

"It's a joke. You're asking if I would vote for a joke that leaves out all the things we need?" said Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. "The question answers itself."

While the House voted Thursday, negotiations continued over immigration with the Trump administration pushing for policy changes that limit the rights of asylum seekers and unaccompanied children who cross the U.S. border, as well as for more money for the president's promised border wall.

Democrats oppose all these elements, but with the clock ticking toward a possible government shutdown, people in both parties said negotiations Thursday had a more positive tone than in recent days.

Some Republicans voted for the bill on good faith that a funding agreement would be reached.

"Shutting down is just not an alternative," said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R., Fla.), who voted for the bill. "The question is what can we get done at the end, and right now there are enough adults speaking, talking, trying to get things done to lead me to believe that we will get there somehow."

Among the Republicans who voted against the spending measure was Rep. Carlos Curbelo of Florida, who wants a deal for young immigrants brought to the country as children.

"People are acting like we have all the time in the world on this issue, " Mr. Curbelo said. "The fact is time is running out, and the longer we wait, the more difficult it is going to be to reach a compromise. I will maintain this position until we get it done. I hope Senate Democrats and some Republicans have the fortitude to send a strong statement."

Senate Democrats who are up for re-election this year in states that Mr. Trump won in 2016 are facing particular pressure to avoid a shutdown. While many say they are undecided, so far only Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia has said he would support the stopgap measure.

Write to Natalie Andrews at Natalie.Andrews@wsj.com, Kristina Peterson at kristina.peterson@wsj.com and Siobhan Hughes at siobhan.hughes@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 18, 2018 20:49 ET (01:49 GMT)