Behind the scenes as Congress races to end shutdown and avert default

Oct 16, 2013

Behind the scenes as Congress races to end shutdown and avert default

Tim Swift 0 Comment The Baltimore Sun Congress, debt ceiling, government shutdown, President Obama

Congress Wednesday night approved a bipartisan deal to reopen the government and extend the nation’s $16.7 trillion debt ceiling into early next year, a measure that will send tens of thousands of federal employees in Maryland back to work.

: On the 16th day of a government shutdown, and with debt default hours away, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks to reporters Wednesday while Senate Republicans work toward a solution to the federal gridlock. (Melina Mara/Washington Post)

: U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) walks to the House Chamber for a vote October 16, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. On the 16th day of a government shutdown, the House has passed a bill to reopen the government until January 15 and raise the nation’s debt ceiling until February 7, 2014. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

: People walk down the steps of the House side of the Capitol building after a bipartisan bill passed by the House and the Senate reopened the government and raise dthe debt limit, on October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. President Obama plans to sign the bill into law, it will fund the government until January 15, 2014 and allow the government to pay bills until February 7, 2014. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Members of the US House of Representatives and others leave the Capitol Building after a vote on Capitol Hill October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. The US Senate and House passed legislation to compromise on budget and debt concerns to reopen the US federal government funding it to mid January address the debt limit till early February. (Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

: A person leaves the House side of the US Capitol Building after a vote on Capitol Hill October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. The US Senate and House passed legislation to compromise on budget and debt concerns to reopen the US federal government funding it to mid January address the debt limit till early February. (Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

: Senate Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid (C), D-NV, Senator Charles E. Schumer (2nd-R), D-NY, and Senate Democratic Whip Senator Richard Durbin (R), D-IL, walk from the Senate floor after a vote on Capitol Hill October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. The US Senate passed legislation to compromise on budget and debt concerns to reopen the US federal government funding it to mid January address the debt limit till early February. (Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

: U.S. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) walks to the Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. On the 16th day of a government shutdown, Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced that they have reached to an agreement to raise the nation’s debt ceiling and reopen the government. Senate Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid (C), D-NV, Senator Charles E. Schumer (2nd-R), D-NY, and Senate Democratic Whip Senator Richard Durbin (R), D-IL, walk from the Senate floor after a vote on Capitol Hill October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. The US Senate passed legislation to compromise on budget and debt concerns to reopen the US federal government funding it to mid January address the debt limit till early February. (Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

: U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) walks to the House Chamber for a vote October 16, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. On the 16th day of a government shutdown, the House has passed a bill to reopen the government until January 15 and raise the nation’s debt ceiling until February 7, 2014. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

: U.S. President Barack Obama speaks in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House after the U.S. Senate voted to end the government shutdown and raise the dept limit on October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced that they have reached bipartisan deal to raise the nation’s debt ceiling and end the sixteen day government shutdown. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for a vote.

: U.S. President Barack Obama leaves the briefing room of the White House in Washington after the Senate passed the bill to reopen the government, October 16, 2013. The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved a deal on Wednesday to end a political crisis that partially shut down the federal government and brought the world’s biggest economy to the edge of a debt default that could have threatened financial calamity. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas (UNITED STATES – Tags: BUSINESS POLITICS) ORG XMIT: WASG123

: US President Barack Obama arrives to speak about the government shutdown and debt ceiling standoff in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, October 16, 2013. AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEBSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images ORG XMIT:

: Senate Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) (2L) smiles toward Senate Democratic Whip Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) (2R) and Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) (R) in an elevator after a vote on Capitol Hill October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. The US Senate passed legislation to compromise on budget and debt concerns to reopen the US federal government funding it to mid January address the debt limit till early February.

: House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) (R) walks to the House Chamber to vote on a bipartisan bill passed by the Senate that would restart the government and raise the debt limit on October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. The bill still needs to be approved by the house. If the bill is signed into law, it will fund the government until January 15, 2014 and allow the government to pay bills until February 7, 2014. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) (C) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) (R) depart the Senate floor after their speeches before the night-time budget vote at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, October 16, 2013. The U.S. Senate, racing to avert a government default, on Wednesday passed legislation raising the Treasury Department’s borrowing authority and sent the measure to the House of Representatives for final passage. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

: Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) (L) and Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) walk to a vote on Capitol Hill October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. The US Senate passed legislation to compromise on budget and debt concerns to reopen the US federal government funding it to mid January address the debt limit till early February.

: WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 16: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) answers questions from the media after meeting with Republican senators regarding a bipartisan solution for the pending budget and debt limit impasse at the U.S. Capitol October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. The Senate announced that it had reached a bipartisan deal on funding the federal government and the extending the nation’s debt limit after 16 days of a government shutdown. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 185146633 ** OUTS – ELSENT, FPG, TCN – OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** ORG XMIT: CHI1310161214559003

: U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) (2nd L) speaks as Majority Whip Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) (R), Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) (L), and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) (3rd L) listen during a news conference after a vote October 16, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. On the 16th day of a government shutdown, the Senate has approved a bill to reopen the government until January 15 and raise the nation’s debt ceiling until February 7, 2014. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

: U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) (C) walks to the House Chamber to vote on a bipartisan bill passed by the Senate that would restart the government and raise the debt limit on October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. The bill still needs to be approved by the house. If the bill is signed into law, it will fund the government until January 15, 2014 and allow the government to pay bills until February 7, 2014. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Speaker of the House John Boehner walks to the House floor during the vote on the fiscal deal in the U.S. Capitol in Washington October 16, 2013. The U.S. Congress on Wednesday approved an 11th-hour deal to end a partial government shutdown and pull the worldís biggest economy back from the brink of a historic debt default that could have threatened financial calamity. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

: Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) walks through Statuary Hall to a vote on Capitol Hill October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. The House is voting on a bill passed by the US Senate to compromise on budget and debt concerns to reopen the US federal government funding it to mid January address the debt limit till early February. Brendan Smialowski/ AFP Photo

: (L-R) Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) speak at a press conference after successfully pushing a bipartisan bill through the U.S. Senate to restart the government and raise the debt limit at the U.S. Capitol October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. The bill still needs to be approved by the house. If the bill is signed into law, it will fund the government until January 15, 2014 and allow the government to pay bills until February 7, 2014. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) (2nd L), Majority Whip Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) (3rd L), and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) (R) take an elevator as they are on their way to conduct a news conference after a vote October 16, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. On the 16th day of a government shutdown, the Senate has approved a bill to reopen the government until January 15 and raise the nation’s debt ceiling until February 7, 2014. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) pauses during a news conference after a vote October 16, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. On the 16th day of a government shutdown, the Senate has approved a bill to reopen the government until January 15 and raise the nation’s debt ceiling until February 7, 2014. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

: Senate Minority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) walks to a vote on Capitol Hill October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. The US Senate passed legislation to compromise on budget and debt concerns to reopen the US federal government funding it to mid January address the debt limit till early February. Brendan Smialowski/ AFP Photo

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