Obama signs stop-gap spending bill

President Barack Obama signed the stop-gap funding bill Wednesday, ending the specter of a U.S. government shutdown by keeping government open through Nov. 18. The legislation is part of a package to provide $2.65 billion in disaster relief the Federal Emergency Management Agency needed to replenish accounts drained by the federal response to Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, tornadoes and wildfires, CNN reported. Democrats objected to a Republican demand to cut spending elsewhere to offset the increase in disaster relief funding for the just ended fiscal year. The showdown ended when FEMA officials said the agency had enough money to get through the end of the fiscal year that ended Friday. If Congress didn't reach a new, albeit temporary, spending agreement, a partial government shutdown would have occurred when the new fiscal year began Saturday. Government shutdowns also loomed during budget talks in the spring and the debt ceiling debate in the summer. The continuing resolution of short-term funding was necessary because Congress hasn't completed the budget appropriations process due to deep differences about government spending issues. The latest extension is meant to give lawmakers time to debate and pass appropriations bills for the remainder of fiscal year 2012.