The United States avoided the so-called fiscal cliff after members of the 112th Congress voted to approve a last-minute deal that prevents deep spending cuts at every federal agency.

The House voted 257-167 early this morning to pass a bill that the Senate approved by a 89-9 vote on early Tuesday morning. President Barack Obama is expected to sign the measure, which raises taxes on wealthy Americans while protecting middle-income earners from tax increases.

H.R.8 also gives Congress two more months to come up with a spending deal. Tribal leaders have been worried that across-the-board cuts could have a disproportionate effect on the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service, whose combined budgets make up only 0.19 percent of the entire federal budget.

Get the Story:
Congress approves ‘fiscal cliff’ measure (The Washington Post 1/2)
Amid Pressure, House Passes Fiscal Deal (The New York Times 1/2)

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NCAI warns of negative effects of fiscal cliff on tribal programs (12/5)