The catch-all spending package that President Obama signed Friday afternoon wouldn’t have been possible without former House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, Obama said.
“John Boehner did a favor to all of us” by negotiating the budget framework that led to the omnibus appropriations bill that Congress approved this week, Obama said at the White House.
“He was able to do that because he was going out the door,” Obama said about Boehner.
Obama signed the bill shortly before 5 p.m. Friday, ending questions about government funding through Sept. 30, 2016.
Boehner set up the budget blueprint that outlined the terms of the spending bill for the rest of fiscal year 2016. Both the House and Senate approved the $1.1 trillion spending bill on Friday, over the objections of dozens of conservative Republicans who said it spends too much, and didn’t rein in Obama’s executive actions.
The deal may be the last of its kind, as it was the sort of agreement routinely worked out by Boehner.
But Obama also gave credit to new Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. He said Ryan and the rest of the congressional leadership reached consensus in an orderly way, like they’re supposed to.
As to his personal dealings with Ryan, Obama said Ryan has been “professional” and honest about what he can and cannot agree to in talks.
“I think it’s a good working relationship,” Obama said. “We recognize that we disagree on a whole bunch of stuff” but can still work with each other cordially.
So “kudos to him” Obama said about Ryan successfully concluding his first budget talks as leader.
