奥巴马总统签署重开政府及提高债务上限法案

U.S. President Barack Obama has signed into law a last-minute compromise bill to reopen the federal government and raise the debt ceiling to avoid a potential U.S. debt default.

The president signed the bill early Thursday morning, after a flurry of activity on Capitol Hill Wednesday.

Members of the House of Representatives approved the plan late Wednesday by a vote of 285 to 144, after it was approved by the Senate earlier in the day (by a vote of 81 to 18).

White House budget office said federal workers should plan to return to work Thursday morning.

Mr. Obama has thanked leaders of both parties and said it is time to earn back the lost trust of the American people.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, and his Republican colleague Mitch McConnell put together the composite bill Wednesday, a day before the current borrowing authority expired.

The bill will keep the government running until at least January 15 and raise the borrowing limit enough to put off the risk of default until at least February 7. In the meantime, lawmakers will negotiate on spending cuts.