President Barack Obama “applauds” Senate leaders for reaching a deal to avert default and reopen government and urges Congress to pass the bill as swiftly as possible, White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters Wednesday.
The deal will fund the government through Jan. 15 at current spending levels of $986.3 billion, established by the across-the-board cuts known as sequestration, and raise the debt limit through Feb. 7. House Republican leaders are expected to bring up the bill for a vote today, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who led the defund Obamacare movement, signaled he would not obstruct the measure in the Senate.