President Obama signed a $1.8 trillion deal to fund the government through September 2016 and extend tax breaks Friday afternoon. His signature concludes weeks of negotations between the parties as lawmakers head home for Christmas.
{mosads}Despite grumblings from some members of both parties, the House passed the $622 billion tax deal on Thursday by a 318-109 vote, and the $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill Friday morning 316-113. The Senate passed both in a combined package shortly after in a 65-33 vote.
The deal marks a major achievement for new Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who delivered 150 Republican votes for the spending bill. Obama said Ryan deserved “kudos.”
“He has been professional. He has reached out to tell me what he can do and what he cannot do. I think it’s a good working relationship,” Obama said at a year-end press conference.
Obama will visit San Bernardino, Calif., to spend time with families of those who were killed in the Dec. 2 terrorist attack there. He’ll head from there to Hawaii, where he’ll spend the holidays with his family.