By Richard Cowan and David Lawder
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday fell in line behind a $1.1 trillion bill that would remove the threat of an imminent government shutdown while setting up new fights for early next year over President Barack Obama's immigration reforms.
House Speaker John Boehner huddled early in the day with his often rambunctious rank-and-file Republicans and heard little opposition to the massive spending bill that was negotiated with congressional Democrats, according to lawmakers at the meeting.
"Tomorrow we'll pass a responsible bill that will keep the government running," Boehner declared to reporters following the closed-door meeting.
Without fast action by Congress, federal agencies would run out of money at midnight on Thursday. A White House spokesman said he was encouraged by the movement in Congress on a compromise measure.
While the legislation would fund most federal agencies through September, the end of the current fiscal year, it would pay for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) activities only through February.
DHS is the main agency that will implement Obama's controversial executive action announced in November. Supported strongly by immigration activists and staunchly opposed by many Republicans, Obama's action eased deportation threats for around 4.7 million undocumented immigrants.
The spending bill moving through Congress gives conservatives another chance next year to try to dismantle the president's initiative.
"Without the threat of a government shutdown, it sets up a direct challenge to the president's unilateral actions on immigration when we have new majorities of both chambers of Congress" next year, Boehner said.
But it was unclear whether the new, Republican-controlled Congress will actually be able to stop Obama's executive actions, and some House conservatives derided the decision to put off the showdown until next year.
"I think we'll just roll over and capitulate in February if we're not going to fight now," said Republican Representative John Fleming of Louisiana, a Tea Party activist.
Besides enjoying a stronger House majority and a new Senate majority next year that will help them advance legislation, Republican leaders in Congress are eager to demonstrate now that they can act responsibly by keeping the government operating.
Republicans forced a 16-day government shutdown in October 2013 that was widely criticized and damaged the party's brand.
If the House passes the spending bill on Thursday, as Boehner predicted, it will be sent to the Senate. It was unclear whether any senators would erect time-consuming procedural hurdles that could delay its passage for up to a few days.
Anticipating such maneuvers, congressional leaders were preparing a very short-term funding bill, possibly providing funds for just a few days, while the $1.1 trillion measure moves through Congress and to Obama's desk for signing into law.
(Editing by John Whitesides and Tom Brown)