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Barack Obama

Obama signs $1.1 trillion spending plan

David Jackson
USA TODAY
President Obama signs a $1.1 trillion spending bill.

President Obama walked across the street late Friday afternoon to sign the $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the federal government through the end of September.

Obama did the bill signing at the New Executive Office Building next to Lafayette Park, across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House.

"Now, this is not usually where I do bill signings," Obama told a group of White House staff members who gathered for the occasion.

"But," he told his aides, "in addition to the opportunity to take a walk -- and whenever I get a chance to take a walk I seize it -- we wanted to make sure that we did this bill signing here because it represents the extraordinary work of so many of you."

Aides with the Office of Management and Budget who helped put together the spending bill gathered for the brief ceremony.

"We would not be here and we would not be able to sign this legislation if it hadn't been for your work and your dedication," Obama said. "And so this is my way of saying thank you."

Citing the large box -- nearly a foot tall -- that contained the actual bill, Obama told his aides: "What that represents is just hours and hours and weekends and nights where people are paying attention and sweating the details. And that's what you do."

From The Associated Press:

"Obama signed the measure Friday, the day before federal funding was set to run out. He was joined at a conference center near the White House by aides who did much of the work negotiating it.

"The compromise package passed both houses of Congress overwhelmingly this week. It funds every agency of the federal government and also scales back automatic spending cuts that hit the Pentagon and major domestic programs last year.

"The measure calls for less spending than Obama proposed but more than Republicans sought. However, lawmakers of both parties were determined to avoid a repeat of the political showdown that caused a 16-day government shutdown last October."

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