Obama Signs Government Spending bill

A massive government spending bill is now law. President Obama signed the bill in a low-key Oval Office ceremony witnessed by photographers.

In a White House news conference, Obama commended Republicans and Democrats for working together to keep the government open.

The more than one-trillion dollar package funds the federal government through September of 2016. It passed the House and Senate by wide margins.

Obama noted that there are some things in the measure that he doesn't like but said that's how compromise works.

The measure includes an extension of more than 600-billion in tax breaks favored by Republicans.

It ends a 40-year ban on U.S. crude oil exports and includes a sweeping cyber-security bill.

Democrats cheered a longterm extension of a health insurance program for 9-11 first responders. The program expired earlier this year.

Meantime, President Obama expressed optimism about working with Republican leaders as he enters his last year in office. (Metro Networks Inc.)