US averts partial shutdown of homeland security as House passes one-week funding bill

US lawmakers were able to fend off a partial shutdown of homeland security as a one-week funding extension was passed hours before the due time.

According to the BBC, the House of Representatives voted 357-60 in favour of the short-term bill after it had been passed in the Senate.

The bill was signed by US president Barack Obama, who announced that he was in support of a short-term deal to avoid the shutdown.

Following the deal, the department's 250,000 employees will be paid while a longer-term funding agreement is discussed, the report added.