Obama Signs Temporary Budget

As expected, President Obama and the U.S. Senate put aside their differences Wednesday morning and approved government funding for 14 days. This follows the House’s passage of the bill Tuesday and avoids the prospect of an economically and politically damaging government shutdown—at least for now. Only nine senators voted against the continuing resolution, which makes $4 billion in cuts to federal spending. Legislators now have two weeks to put together a long-term spending bill or else to pass another temporary measure, and many analysts say a shutdown remains a strong likelihood. Obama signed the temporary extension only hours afterward, making the deadline before a government shutdown March 18.