Obama's signature keeps government in business

On the last day of the fiscal year Thursday, President Obama signed the stopgap spending bill that will keep the government running through Dec. 3 at fiscal 2010 funding levels for most programs, according to a White House statement.

The House passed the continuing resolution early Thursday morning 228-194 -- several hours after the Senate passed the measure Wednesday evening 69-30. Lawmakers then adjourned for the pre-election recess.

In total, the CR will provide funding at a rate $8.2 billion below the 2010 level, according to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The bill includes a handful of authorization extensions and other provisions, including allowing the Federal Air Marshals to maintain the existing 2010 fourth quarter coverage level for international and domestic flights.

The CR also allows the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection to maintain the level of CBP personnel in place in the final quarter of 2010.

Other provisions include language to keep the maximum loan limits for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac at $729,750 in high-cost areas through Sept. 30, 2011. The same limits will also be extended to loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration. They were set to expire at year's end.