In an early legislative test for Trump, plan B spending bill tanks in House

House Republicans failed to secure the majority votes needed Thursday on a spending bill to avert a government shutdown by week’s end, handing a decisive loss to President-elect Trump in an early test of his ability to unite Republicans in the chamber. 

The bill failed by a vote of 235-174, including 38 Republicans who voted down the legislation. 

The bill not only failed the method that allowed lawmakers to fast-track it with a two-thirds majority. It also failed to pass by normal standards...