DHAKA: The US Congress has passed a bill to reopen the government and raise the federal debt limit, with hours to spare before the nation risked default.

The Democratic-controlled Senate`s bipartisan compromise won approval by 81 votes to 18.

The bill was then passed by 285-144 in the House of Representatives, whose Republican leadership begrudgingly agreed to support the measure.

It came hours before the deadline to raise the $16.7tn limit.

The bill yanks the US back from the brink of a budgetary abyss by extending the treasury`s borrowing authority until 7 February.

It also funds the government to 15 January, reopening closed federal agencies and bringing hundreds of thousands of furloughed employees back to work.

Source: BBC
BDST: 0859 HRS, OCT 17, 2013
SR/JCK