Biden signs gov't funding bill into law, averts shutdown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday signed legislation funding federal agencies through mid-February, the White House said, averting a government shutdown after some Republicans had threatened a standoff over COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

The law funds the U.S. government through Feb. 18, giving the narrowly divided Congress another 11 weeks to either hammer out a longer-term funding plan or another short-term fix.

In White House remarks earlier, Biden said Congress should now work toward a bipartisan agreement on a full funding bill.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Susan Heavey; writing by Susan Heavey; editing by Tim Ahmann)