Obama says budget deal makes him optimistic about 2016

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday said that the passage by Congress of a bipartisan budget and tax package makes him optimistic about what can be achieved in 2016. "I think there are a handful of areas where we can make real progress," Obama said at a White House press conference, naming criminal justice reform and international trade as two of those areas. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Writing by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Eric Walsh)