WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republican U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson aims to hold a vote on Tuesday on a bill to fund the government past March 14, a move needed to avert a partial shutdown of agencies, he told reporters on Thursday.

Republicans will face a critical test of their unity when a spending bill that would avoid a partial government shutdown and keep federal agencies funded through September comes up for a vote

The vote in the House of Representatives is likely to be close. Republicans hold the chamber by a narrow 218-214 margin, and at least one of them, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, has said he will vote against it.