In an effort to tie up loose ends before the end of the year, the House passed approved a spending bill of nearly $1 trillion for 2008.

The House bill includes emergency funding for operations in Afghanistan and other military uses, like protective equipment, but offers no provisions or funding for Iraq. The Senate will likely amend the bill to include an additional $70 billion for this purpose.

House Democrats had originally asked for an additional $23 billion extra for education programs and veteran support but were unable to acquire enough Republican votes to pass the measure.

Passage of the spending bill comes on the tails of a second presidential veto for a $35 billion expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), an issue which has been at the forefront of the Democrat agenda this year.

Some lawmakers say the attachment of an SCHIP funding provision to the year-end bill may occur.