Obama orders government reopening and debt ceiling raise.
The law ending the government shutdown and raising the US public debt ceiling was signed into law early this morning by the US president, shortly after Congress overcame a deadlock that threatened to cause a historic default; lawmakers approved a last-minute agreement on Wednesday night to end the crisis, concluding weeks of political debate.
WASHINGTON, Oct 17 (Reuters) - US President Barack Obama signed into law early Thursday morning the bill that ends the US government shutdown and raises the US debt ceiling, shortly after Congress overcame a deadlock that threatened to cause a historic default.
Lawmakers approved a last-minute deal Wednesday night to end the crisis, wrapping up weeks of political debate that had left global markets reeling and could have triggered a global financial calamity in the event of a U.S. debt default.
The Senate and House of Representatives approved the measure after Republicans abandoned efforts to link government spending legislation to changes in Obama's healthcare law.
The Senate, controlled by Democrats, approved the measure by a vote of 81 to 18, and the House, led by Republicans, followed suit and approved the law by a vote of 285 to 144.
The U.S. Treasury Department says it would hit the debt ceiling of $16,7 trillion on Thursday if the limit were not raised.
Wednesday's agreement, however, offers only a temporary solution and does not resolve the fundamental issues of spending and deficits that divide Republicans and Democrats.
Emergency legislation funds the government until January 15 and raises the debt ceiling until February 7, when Americans risk facing another government shutdown.
Immediately after the president signed the law, the White House acted quickly in the early hours of Thursday to get the government back on track and ordered hundreds of thousands of federal employees to return to work.
White House Budget Director Sylvia Mathews Burwell issued a directive to employees requesting a return to work on the next regular workday, which for most is this Thursday.
"All employees who were on unpaid leave due to lack of funds can now return to work. You must reopen offices in a quick and orderly manner," she said.
Burwell said that in the coming days the White House will work closely with federal departments and agencies to make the transition back to full operational status as smooth as possible.
Fully reopening the government is expected to take several days. While essential functions, such as defense and air traffic control, have been maintained, parks and national agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, have been closed.
(Reporting by Steve Holland)