U.S. Congress ends default threat, Obama signs debt bill

The U.S. Congress on Wednesday approved an 11th-hour deal to end a partial government shutdown and pull the world's biggest economy back from the brink of a historic debt default that could have threatened financial calamity.

President Barack Obama quickly signed the measure, after the Senate and House passed it and Republicans dropped efforts to use the legislation to force health care changes, according to Reuters.

Furloughed federal employees are reportedly going back to work today, the report said.

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