Obama signs budget deal that averted shutdown
President Obama has signed the compromise budget agreement to fund the government for the remaining six months of the fiscal year.
He said he signed the bill despite "strong objections" to restrictions on his authority to transfer detainees from the Guantanamo Bay prison facility into the United States.
"I have signed this Act because of the importance of avoiding a lapse in appropriations for the Federal Government, including our military activities, for the remainder of fiscal year 2011," he wrote in a statement.
Mr. Obama also said he'll essentially ignore a provision designed to restrict his ability to appoint so-called "czars" to oversee certain policy issues. He said that provision is a violation of separation of powers.
"Legislative efforts that significantly impede the President's ability to exercise his supervisory and coordinating authorities or to obtain the views of the appropriate senior advisers violate the separation of powers by undermining the President's ability to exercise his constitutional responsibilities and take care that the laws be faithfully executed," he said. "Therefore, the executive branch will construe section 2262 not to abrogate these Presidential prerogatives."
The House and Senate passed the bill, which cuts about $38 billion in government spending, on Thursday. It reflected a deal between the White House, Congressional Democrats and Congressional Republicans worked out just before the deadline for a government shutdown.