Senate would refuse changes to fiscal cliff bill: aide

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - If the House of Representatives makes changes to a Senate-passed bill aimed at averting the "fiscal cliff," the Senate would not take up that legislation, a Senate Democratic leadership aide said on Tuesday.

Early on Tuesday, the Senate approved, with broad bipartisan support, legislation to avoid $600 billion in potentially harmful tax increases and spending cuts.

Republicans in the House, saying they are unhappy with the lack of spending cuts in the bill, are considering amending the Senate-passed measure. "We will not take up the House bill if they change the bipartisan agreement reached in the Senate," said the aide, who asked not to be identified.

(Reporting By Richard Cowan; Editing by Peter Cooney)