WASHINGTON, D.C. — There was movement on Capitol Hill Friday on a U.S. House proposal to temporarily raise the U.S. debt ceiling, possibly for six weeks, in exchange for the start of talks on long term deficit reductions.
However, President Barack Obama said any deal would have to end the partial federal government shutdown that started on Oct. 1.
First District Congressman David McKinley (R-WV) hailed it as progress. “Negotiations are finally getting started,” he said. “This is what we wanted from day one, is to open up negotiations.”
Originally, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Oh.) and other House Republicans had refused to move on the continuing resolution, or spending bill, to keep the government running unless there were concessions from President Obama and the U.S. Senate, where Democrats are in charge, about the Affordable Care Act.
Now, McKinley said the focus is on reducing the long term debt. “We’re dealing with the economy,” he said. “All they wanted to do was get the door open (to talks) and it took extending the debt limit by six weeks to get the door open.”
Negotiators are expected to work into the weekend on a quick resolution to head off any potential debt limit crisis that could start unfolding, without action, by the middle of next week.
McKinley said he was confident a resolution was in sight. “We’ll get through this,” he said on Friday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”