Obama, Congress avert government shutdown

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Avoiding the high drama of recent year-end budget fights, President Barack Obama signed legislation Friday keeping government agencies open into next week, giving White House and congressional bargainers more time to complete sweeping deals on taxes and federal spending.

Facing a midnight deadline, Obama signed the measure keeping government afloat through Wednesday just hours after the House used a voice vote to send it to him. The Senate approved the bill a day earlier, its easy sojourn through Congress underscoring that neither party saw reason to risk a government shutdown battle.

Talks were likely to stretch at least into the weekend over the environment, Syrian refugees, guns and dozens of other disputes sprinkled across two major bills. One would provide $1.1 trillion to finance government for 2016; the other would renew around 50 expiring tax cuts for businesses and individuals that, with additions, could swell to a 10-year price tag of $700 billion or more.

Disagreements remained but show-stopping, partisan quarrels were already resolved, lowering the decibel level of this year’s budget endgame. The overall $1.1 trillion spending total was previously cemented in place, leaving only spending details to finalize, and Republicans decided to avoid shutdown brinkmanship with Obama by omitting provisions dismantling his 2010 health care law and halting Planned Parenthood’s money.

GOP lawmakers also attributed the lessened intensity to new Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who replaced the ousted John Boehner, R-Ohio, this fall. They said they needed to finish this year’s work and focus on passing election-year bills in 2016 highlighting GOP priorities on taxes and health care.

“There’s a honeymoon period in here,” conservative Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., said of Ryan’s recent ascension to the top House job. “And I think Paul’s articulated very well where we want to go.”

Leaders were hoping Congress would adjourn for the year next week after approving the two measures.

It was unclear if lawmakers would pull off a major tax bill with permanent extensions benefiting both sides or opt for a two-year extension of existing tax breaks.