US Congress reaches deal on 2016 spending bill to fund federal government Tuesday Dec 15,2015

A budget deal has been reached on Tuesday Dec 15,2015 between US Congress leaders and the White House, US House Speaker Paul Ryan has said.

The fiscal year 2016 spending bill, known as an "omnibus," has become a year-end catch-all that includes priorities from both parties, and leaves out some pet projects that may make it difficult for some lawmakers to sign on.

The omnibus lifts the 40-year-old ban on US crude oil exports, for years a Republican priority, while extending solar and wind energy tax credits that Democrats say will create renewable energy jobs and reduce carbon emissions

The omnibus retained the decades-long ban on federal funding for gun research, a major point of contention for Democrats. It also failed to provide assistance for debt-crippled Puerto Rico, which left top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi fuming.

And it includes a two-year moratorium on the so-called medical device tax, a provision of President Barack Obama's health care law that angered Republicans and Democrats alike.   

The $1.1 trillion (£730billion) spending bill includes both Republican-backed initiatives and Democratic priorities.

It funds the government through the 2016 budget year, raising defence spending and extending tax credits.