WASHINGTON – House Republicans put aside their usual antipathy toward President Obama on Wednesday to give the president, and his successors, the line-item veto, a constitutionally questionable power over the purse that long has been sought by presidents of both parties.

A minority of Democrats joined in casting a 254-173 vote in favor of allowing the president to pick out specific items in spending bills for elimination. Currently, the chief executive must sign or veto spending bills in their entirety.

The main opposition came from members of the Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for putting together the annual spending bills. The bill now goes to the Senate, where its prospects are uncertain.