Budget Deal Clears House, Senate

The shutdown showdown is over, at least until the fall. The House and Senate today passed a measure to fund the government through September, the end of the 2011 fiscal year. The bill passed 260-167 in the House on a bipartisan vote, required because 59 Republicans broke ranks and voted against it, reports Politico. It then cleared the Senate, 81-19, and headed to President Obama's desk for his signature. As agreed upon in last week's down-to-the-wire negotiations, it calls for $38 billion in spending cuts, notes the New York Times.

• John Boehner: “Is it perfect? No. I’d be the first to admit it’s flawed. But welcome to divided government.”
• Democratic whip Steny Hoyer: “The priorities that we have agreed to in this resolution are not my priorities. But we have reached an agreement.”

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