France's lower house of parliament has adopted a budget amendment allowing the government to release French funds for Greece's bailout.

The text must still go before the Senate, its final step in parliament.

Finance Minister Christine Lagarde had urged lawmakers to adopt the amendment, calling it a "moral imperative." She also says providing funds for Greece will be a way of "stabilizing the euro."

The National Assembly, dominated by the governing conservative party, passed the text early Tuesday.

European governments and the International Monetary Fund agreed Sunday to give 110 billion euros ($145 billion) in loans to Greece over three years. France has committed to providing up to 16.8 billion euros in its share of the three-year plan.