President Barack Obama hailed the Senate’s passage of a deal to avert default and reopen the government on Wednesday evening, urging the House to follow suit so Washington can move on to the business of restoring America’s faith in its institutions.
“There is a lot to be done,” Obama said, name-checking immigration reform and a stalled farm bill, “including earning the trust of the American people.”
The Senate bill now heads to the House, where it is expected to pass with a majority of Democratic votes. The deal would fund the government through Jan. 15 and raise the debt celing through Feb. 7, setting up another showdown between Democrats and Republicans in a few months.
“Hopefully next time, it won’t be at the 11th hour,” Obama said. “We’ve got to get out of the habit of governing by crisis.”
Asked by a reporter if he feared that brinkmanship would return in January, Obama said “No.”
