WASHINGTON (AP) — The US government unlocked its doors Thursday after 16 days, with President Barack Obama saluting the resolution of Congress’ bitter standoff but lambasting Republicans for the partial shutdown that he said had damaged the economy and America’s credibility around the world.

“There are no winners here,” Obama said just hours after signing a last-minute measure from Congress that was free of the Republican demands that had started the standoff. The deal allowed federal workers to return Thursday morning and headed off the threat that the nation would default on its debts, at least for this year.

“The American people are completely fed up with Washington,” Obama said in stern remarks at the White House. The nation’s credit rating was jeopardized, economic growth and hiring were slowed and federal workers were temporarily deprived of paycheques, Obama said, all because of “yet another self-inflicted crisis.”

In hopes of averting another standoff when the just-passed measure runs out, Congress’ four top budget writers met over breakfast to begin new budget talks. Obama urged them to put aside partisan differences and brinkmanship tactics to find common ground.

He also sought to assure governments and investors around the world that the “full faith and credit of the United States remains unquestioned.”

“We’ll bounce back from this,” Obama declared. “We always do.”

The House and Senate voted late Wednesday night to end the shutdown that began when Republicans tried unsuccessfully to use must-pass funding legislation to derail the president’s landmark health care law.

Early Thursday, Obama signed the measure and directed all agencies to reopen promptly. The government unlocked office doors, carried barriers away from national monuments and lifted entrance gates at parks across the country.

The relief felt by furloughed federal employees was tempered by worry that the truce might not last much past the holidays. Congress approved government funding only through January 15.

To head off a default, the package gives the government the authority to borrow what it needs through February 7. Treasury officials will be able to use bookkeeping manoeuvres to delay a potential default for several weeks beyond that date, as they have done in the past. Among the manoeuvres, officials can suspend contributions to one of the pension plans used by federal retirees.

In the meantime, lawmakers will try to find agreement on how to replace this year’s across-the-board spending cuts with more orderly deficit reduction.

“I hope this is the end of this,” said Vice President Joe Biden, who greeted workers returning to the Environmental Protection Agency with hugs, handshakes and muffins. But Biden acknowledged, “There’s no guarantees of anything.”