KENTUCKY — This week we’re visiting with Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Bowling Green, as he shared updates on the appropriations process in Washington, D.C.

“What frustrates us in the House of Representatives, I think frustrates the American people, is that you’ll get these massive bills with so many things in them. And either you gotta say I want to keep the government open and there’s some more good things than bad, then I’ll vote for it, but you ended up getting things get passed it probably wouldn’t get their own votes on their standalone issues. And so we want to break these individual items up,” explained Rep. Guthrie.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed on a two-pronged plan to keep the government funded, the first step toward averting a government shutdown.

The plan, unveiled by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, on Saturday, extends funding for some programs through mid-January and others through early February. It faced considerable opposition from far-right conservative lawmakers, but Democrats helped give the bill a major boost.

Ninety-three Republicans voted against the bill, while 209 Democrats joined 127 members of the House GOP to send the measure to the Senate. The final vote was 336-95, with two Democrats also voting against the bill.

You can watch the full In Focus Kentucky segment in the player above.