Obama Signs Bill To Restart Government, Pay Bills

October 17, 2013

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 Washington time after a flurry of activity on Capitol Hill on 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.

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

Obama 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 on 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.

If the debt ceiling was not raised, the United States would lose the authority to borrow money to keep paying its bills.

The government shut down on October 1 when the Senate rejected House demands to defund or delay President Obama’s health care law as part of a spending bill. The president has said he will not negotiate any changes in the law until the government reopens.

House Speaker John Boehner said House Republicans fought with everything they had to force negotiations on the law, nicknamed “Obamacare.” He said his party will continue to push for legislative oversight and highlight perceived flaws in the scheme.

[VOA]

Pictured top: Obama meets with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other members of the House Democratic leadership in the Oval Office.

Comments

23 Responses to “Obama Signs Bill To Restart Government, Pay Bills”

  1. Bob on October 21st, 2013 11:43 am

    Tried and failed ploy of the radical.
    Cruz tying up and delaying vote talking about a children’s book shutting down Govt.. Republican house trying to buy back Govt. employee vote to pay then for time lost on shutdown. All this over 40 plus times to stop health care law. Repubs new the problems with health care site and shut Govt down for two weeks so the system couldn’t be repaired for that time making a bigger deal than it really was. So it all backfired.

  2. Dave on October 20th, 2013 9:16 pm

    Everyone in that picture should be voted out and/or. Should have never been voted in.

    The fact that those very people are in office only confirms that most of voting america watches to much TV and FAILS to research a candidate on their own.

    Its a sad day here in America!

    My fellow citizens, get up off the couch and don’t believe everything you see and hear on TV. When I hear someone talk politics I cringe because all they do is repeat the nonsense on TV. Read abook on how this stuff works before you vote…

    Here’s a good start: The United States Constitution.

    Just by actually reading the Constitution. The read recent decisions and personal beliefs of current supreme court justices and their rulings and youll want to revolt..

  3. David Huie Green on October 18th, 2013 11:20 pm

    bill,
    The budget was not balanced in 2001. Income exceeded outgo by figuring social security as a revenue source and then borrowing internally from social security but debt increased throughout — not as fast as under GWB which was not as fast as under President Obama, but it still rose.

    You are right, though, that it would have been chesper in money to ignore murderous attacks on Americans and not worry about whether or not Saddamn had revived his nuclear weapons efforts or his biological weapons efforts or his existing chemical weapons program. Without access we could assume the best or the worst. 9/11/01 happened because we assumed the best. (Note: Saddamn and bin Laden were separate threats, but both were threats.)

    David for heeding Murphy’s Law

  4. Joe on October 18th, 2013 12:43 pm

    Why shouldnt he. Sgn a bill since he is to blame for the US GOVERMENT shutting doen the worlds worst president obema

  5. rooster on October 18th, 2013 8:20 am

    Ted Cruz stood on principal and the left is crucifying him…Obama supposedly stood on his but gets no criticism. with u people seeing these premiums going through the roof it surprises me anyone would want the govt back up and running…those premium increases amount to a monthly tax. VOTE THEM ALL OUT!

  6. bill on October 18th, 2013 7:45 am

    Why did the Neo-cons throw away a balanced budget and then the budget surplus of 2001? Why did Alan Greenspan say that the policies of the 90’s could help us pay off our national debt and that would be terrible? I thought we wanted a balanced budget but no, the people who own us don’t want us paying off our debts and becoming free like our forefathers. The Fed owns both crooked parties and there is one group that benefits from our national debt, the owners of the FED. They sit back and collect the interest for ever! In the Hebrew scriptures it is called usury and it is one of the worst sins but to the Luciferians, it’s business as usual.

  7. Jane on October 18th, 2013 3:45 am

    Mr. Jeff Miller took a survey at his teletownhall meeting and 50% of his constituents said “shutdown the government”, only 35% said keep it open. He did what YOU said you wanted! He voted for what you asked him to do…at least he asked and responded to the majority!

  8. Everett on October 18th, 2013 1:09 am

    The “silver” care health care policy:

    Family of 4 (non-smoker)
    Monthly premium $580 or $6,960.00
    Actually pretty affordable.
    Here is the spoiler. Under the “silver” plan the annual deductible is $11,400.00 before the health care starts paying.
    It will cost you $18,360 before it starts to pay the first year.
    Affordable health care?
    Cant imagine what the the other plans pay.

  9. Justa say on October 17th, 2013 8:09 pm

    The democrats need to get rid of Reid #1, Pelosi #2, Obama next, then anyone else who supports these three. Then maybe some work can be done in Washington. This democratic senate is the worse I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen plenty. The biggest joke is Harry Reid that has sat on his tail since taking this position and not allowing anything from the House be brought up or discussed. He needs to go period!

  10. Deb on October 17th, 2013 6:19 pm

    Time to stop being so angry and bitter and let it go!! The tea bags just cost the government and that’s you, 24 billion dollars. Try supporting the President of the United States and stop the critical bigoted thought processes.

  11. Bob on October 17th, 2013 5:27 pm

    Your house member Miller voted no to keep the govt open. Also Rubio voted no also. These people need replacing they are the problem not the solution.

  12. Linda on October 17th, 2013 5:26 pm

    Obama, with the support of the Democrats, has taken our country to the lowest level and does it with a smile and snide remarks to the American people. He practices discrimination in every decision he makes. To treat one class of people different than another class of people is considered discrimination. If you or I, or business entities were caught doing that, we could and would be prosecuted, yet he and our other self serving governing bodies have said they know what’s best for the country, but by the way–that’s not what’s best for us, we deserve better than you. They keep throwing it in our face and we’re paying for it– not them. The government shut down was focused only on hurting the American common folks. I for one am very much ashamed of our system which is no longer of the people, by the people and for the people!!! It is time we start again from the ground floor up and try to get honest men and women who are loyal to the United States of America and not to themselves and every other country out there!!!

  13. mom on October 17th, 2013 11:13 am

    DITTO to ALL COMMENTS!!!!!!!!!!!! The American people need to take this country back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  14. Dr. Kevin R. Linam on October 17th, 2013 9:35 am

    America is being judged, 17 trillion in debt and passing a bill to further speed unconstitutional spending. There will be no future for our children or grandchildren, as America has been duped into Socialism, the voters were bought and paid for with welfare, and all the taxpayer funded entitlements!!! OB has almost doubled the national debt in less than 5 years, giving away billions to enemies of America and terrorists!!! Hope and pray your eternal decision has been made, as USA isdoomed!!!

  15. 429SCJ on October 17th, 2013 8:26 am

    If the International Bankers did not need American blood to defend their interest in the middle east, the dollar would be dumped as the worlds standard currency.

    It is only a matter of time until the effects of the deficit and quantitative easing catch up to us and the Kings of the East come calling, wanting their principle and interest due.

    I wonder who will loan us the money to purchase a one way ticket to the plains of Armageddon?

  16. MM on October 17th, 2013 8:19 am

    - Tell a lie big enough: check
    – Tell a lie often enough: check
    – Make every decision a crisis: check
    – Offer free healthcare: check
    – Break constitutional law: check
    Adolf Hitler.

  17. FED UP!! on October 17th, 2013 7:38 am

    The only way to teach those in the government that they work FOR the people is for the people to make them realize that they have to answer to the people for the damage they are doing to our country. If “we the people” vow to remove all congressmen and senators when they come up for re-election they might get the picture. This won’t leave us with a totally fresh government at once, but as the old goes out the new coming in will reallize that we mean business. After all our government is “of the people, by the people and FOR THE PEOPLE”. so lets get these old guys out. Congress and Senate seats aren’t life sentances afterall.

  18. jcellops on October 17th, 2013 7:21 am

    ha! perhaps KING OBAMA, congress and their gov’t staffers can start “earning back the trust of the American people” by they THEMSELVES participting in this wonderful ACA, like the rest of us (with NO subsities)…if OBAMACARE is so great for the average (working) struggling American, why then is it not good enough for the elitists in washington who pushed this diseaster down our throats????….personally, i have some sympathy for those duped by “hope and change” the first time around and are now suffering..but, the second time around- sorry, no sympathy- whatsoever……you get what you voted for…..in addition, unless ive got it wrong, by signing this bill and restarting government again, it doesnt start paying our bills (as the title suggests), it ONLY continues to pay the INTEREST on the 17 trilion that we owe our international lenders- so that America doesnt loose our current credit rating worldwide.

  19. citizen on October 17th, 2013 7:18 am

    And guess who voted against it? 2 Alabama reps

  20. notgonnahappen on October 17th, 2013 6:37 am

    DITTO!!

  21. THE DOER on October 17th, 2013 6:35 am

    The government cannot pay its bills now. Yea, let’s just keep borrowing. That makes so much sense. Our debt has increased 55% since this man has been in office. Right now, every working person has a debt of $143,000 to pay. Let’s just keep on borrowing and provide freebies for everyone, including healthcare, etc. Yes, you’ve heard of our healthcare. It’s called Obamacare. It’s such a wonderful healthcare system that NO ONE in the government has to use it! It’s only for the masses of working people!

  22. Jane on October 17th, 2013 5:48 am

    At a time when no one really has respect for our government I think it is time we all made our voices heard.Email your Congressman/woman and let them know what you think. They are just kicking the can down the road.

  23. randy on October 17th, 2013 4:03 am

    “…its time to earn back the lost trust of the American people.” GOOD LUCK ON THAT ONE!