WASHINGTON – The US House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a belated $410-billion package to pay for government operations until fiscal year 2010 begins October 1.

Two weeks after the Democratic-led Congress passed Obama's $787-billion economic stimulus package, lawmakers voted 245-178 in favor of the legislation, which now goes to the Senate.

Republicans, who lack the votes to block the measure in the House but could delay it in the Senate, have denounced the package's eight-percent spending increase overall and a multitude of pet projects in the mammoth measure.