WASHINGTON — Rep. Steve Stivers broke with most House Republicans on Thursday to vote in favor of a transportation and housing spending bill, saying he wanted to “send a message” that the three-week partial shutdown of the federal government should come to an end.

Although Stivers, R-Upper Arlington, voted against a second bill to finance the Department of Agriculture, his vote was yet another sign that Republicans on Capitol Hill are increasingly uneasy about President Donald Trump’s insistence that Congress approve $5.7 billion to build a wall on the Texas border before the government can open again.

>> Read more: Workers to miss first paychecks due to government shutdown

In addition to Stivers, 11 other House Republicans supported the transportation and housing measure, which won approval by a 244-180 vote. The House passed the separate agriculture bill 243-183.

Neither bill is expected to be taken up the Republican-controlled Senate until Trump either gives up his demand for a border wall or House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California agrees to give him the money.

Stivers, who headed the House Republican re-election committee last year, said he voted against the agriculture bill because “it reduced broadband funding” for rural development.

Stivers said he favors building the border wall but wants a resolution to the impasse between Trump and Democrats. “I’m worried about the humanitarian crisis on the border, but I’m worried about the humanitarian crisis of federal employees, too,” he said.

To increase pressure on Senate Republicans, House Democrats held separate votes Thursday on four major spending bills that would reopen the government.

Stivers' break came just hours after Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, said he warned the Trump administration that it would be “completely unacceptable” to divert federal dollars from military construction projects — such as those at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton — to build the wall.

With Trump repeating his threat Thursday to declare a national emergency and possibly use Pentagon dollars to build his wall, Turner said he opposes “cannibalizing our military construction” money for border measures.

>> Read more: Trump goes to border to pitch for wall, but executive action may be coming

Trump last year signed a bill that includes $61 million to expand the National Air and Space Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson. When completed, the $182 million project would be the largest expansion in the history of the base and would lead to hundreds of new jobs.

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