Obama signs temporary funding bill to avert government shutdown

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed a temporary spending bill to avoid a government shutdown hours before midnight when current short-term spending bill will expire.

The Senate and the House of Representatives earlier on Wednesday each passed the bill, which will fund the government through Dec 22.

On Wednesday morning, lawmakers rolled out a 1.15 trillion-US dollar spending bill for fiscal year 2016 and a tax package which will make dozens of business and individual tax breaks permanent. The new short-term funding bill will give Congress more time to deliberate these two deals.w

The spending bill under consideration includes items, such as lifting ban on crude oil exports, funding for International Monetary Fund quota reform, and tightening visa waiver program.

The House will vote on the tax deal on Thursday and the spending bill on Friday, according to local media.