High drama as $1.1T spending package advances to debate by one vote in the House

The House on Thursday narrowly passed a rule to set up debate on the $1.1 trillion "cromnibus" government funding bill, in a dramatic vote that for several minutes was on the brink of failing.
By a razor-thin margin of 214-212, the House advances to debating the underlying appropriations bill to avoid a government shutdown at midnight. [Read the full vote breakdown here.]
Not a single Democrat voted for the rule. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) initially cast her vote in favor, then later switched her vote to "no."
That left Republicans to approve the rule on their own. For several minutes, there were more "nay" votes than "yes" votes by 210-213. Then, for a moment, it was tied at 213-213.

It was at that point Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) intervened. Fellow lawmakers and reporters in the gallery could see Boehner personally lobbying conservatives who voted against the rule to switch their votes.
One of the lawmakers who switched was Rep. Kerry Bentivolio (R-Mich.), who lost his primary earlier this year and won't be returning in the new Congress.
Votes on rules are typically a formality, but for several minutes, lawmakers cast their gaze at the gallery listing of votes as many wondered whether the rule would fail.
That outcome could have derailed the entire bill and raised the risk of a government shutdown.
Republicans could only lose up to 17 of their own members to pass the rule without the help of Democrats.

The 16 Republican defectors were Reps. Justin Amash (Mich.), Michele Bachmann (Minn.), Dave Brat (Va.), Mo Brooks (Ala.), Paul Broun (Ga.), Louie Gohmert (Texas), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Tim Huelskamp (Kan.), Walter Jones (N.C.), Jim Jordan (Ohio), Steve King (Iowa), Raúl Labrador (Idaho), Thomas Massie (Ky.), Bill Posey (Fla.), Matt Salmon (Ariz.) and Steve Stockman (Texas).
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