WASHINGTON A bill to suspend the $31.4 trillion U.S. debt ceiling and avert a disastrous default advanced on Tuesday when a key House of Representatives committee voted to send it to the full chamber for a Wednesday vote.

The Republican-controlled House Rules Committee voted 7-6 to advance the bill to the floor for a vote on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Moira Warburton and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Scott Malone)