Washington - AFP
The Senate passed a bipartisan two-year budget accord on Wednesday, signaling greater US fiscal stability in the year ahead and reducing the likelihood of a government shutdown in January. The measure supported by nine Republicans and the entire Democratic caucus, lays out top-line spending limits for 2014 and 2015, while erasing $63 billion in automatic spending cuts that were to kick in on January 1. The legislation now heads to President Barack Obama's desk for his signature.