The Republican-led House has approved a bipartisan budget deal to avert another government shutdown. The bill eases across-the-board spending cuts, replacing them with new airline fees and cuts to federal pensions. In a concession by Democrats, it does not extend unemployment benefits for 1.3 million people, which are set to expire this month. House Speaker John Boehner denounced far-right groups that have criticized the bill.

John Boehner: “Frankly, I think they’re misleading their followers. I think they’re pushing our members in places where they don’t want to be. And frankly, I just think that they’ve lost all credibility. You know, they pushed us into this fight to defund 'Obamacare' and to shut down the government. Most of you know, my members know, that wasn’t exactly the strategy that I had in mind. But if you’ll recall, the day before the government reopened, one of the people at one of these groups stood up and said, 'Well, we never really thought it would work.' Are you kidding me?”

The House also passed a Pentagon bill that would keep Guantánamo open and keep military sexual assault cases within the chain of command, while making it more difficult for commanding officers to toss out verdicts.