WASHINGTON A majority of the U.S. House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to approve a bipartisan bill to suspend the government's $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, just five days before the deadline to avoid a crippling default.

Voting continued on the legislation, which must also be approved by the Democratic-majority Senate before President Joe Biden can sign the measure into law.

(Reporting by David Morgan, Richard Cowan and Costas Pitas; Editing by Scott Malone)