The spending cut vote -- similar to one passed by the House last year that went nowhere in the Senate -- was added to the docket later Thursday, to appeal to conservative legislators upset about backing a tax increase without acting on spending and protecting the military budget.

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Debate raged for seven hours but as MPs in the elected House of Commons passed the order by a majority of two to one late last year, it will now become law.

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An example of how this works: Tax bills must originate in the House, so the GOP in August dutifully passed legislation to avert the fiscal cliff by extending rates for one year.

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One year tax credits were able to offset the alternative minimum tax in the annual fix passed by Congress.

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