As legislators prepare to head home to their districts for the holidays, Congress approved nine spending bills necessary to continue services for New Yorkers and fund the federal government for fiscal year 2012.

Congressman Bill Owens voted Friday in favor of the bipartisan agreement on H.R. 2055, the Fiscal Year 2012 Final Consolidated Appropriations Bill, passed the House by a vote of 296-121, with a majority of House Republicans supporting the bill.

The funding level in the agreement is consistent with the $1.043 trillion cap on discretionary spending set by the Budget Control Act of 2011.

“I am glad to see Congress complete its work on the remaining spending bills for 2012,” said Owens, a Democrat from Plattsburgh representing the New York’s 23rd Congressional District.

“This agreement will provide needed certainty for the remainder of the fiscal year, and I hope both parties will continue to work together in the coming year to put our nation’s fiscal house in order.”

The federal government was operating under a stopgap spending bill that expires at midnight tonight, Dec. 16. The agreement on the consolidated appropriations bill prevents a potential government shutdown, provides critical funds for national security, and supports programs and services New Yorkers rely on, while cutting overall spending to help reduce the federal debt and deficit, according to a statement from Rep. Owens’ office.

Security and non-security discretionary funding for federal agencies covered by the agreement totals $915 billion, which is $6 billion below the fiscal year 2011 level for these same agencies.