HONOLULU (January 2, 2013)--President Barack Obama was back in Hawaii Wednesday to resume his vacation after a tense, end-of-the-new-year standoff with Congress at the edge of the so-called fiscal cliff.

The president arrived early Wednesday morning, local time, after an overnight flight aboard Air Force One to rejoin his family for a holiday break after having returned to Washington following Christmas to deal with the unfinished business that threatened to throw the economy back into recession.

The House voted late Tuesday night on a package to avoid income tax increases for most Americans, allowing rates to rise on incomes exceeding $400,000 for individuals and $450,000 for couples.

The wide-ranging deal, approved by the Senate earlier, delayed for two months billions in budget-wide cuts.

The White House had no immediate update on when Mr. Obama would receive and sign the bill.