John Boehner: I've told GOP that a deal on debt will involve compromise
In a press conference on Capitol Hill, Boehner reiterated his support for the GOP's "Cut, Cap and Balance" plan to reduce the debt, but also emphasized that he was ready to call on Republicans to compromise in order to avoid default. The Senate is set to vote on the House plan this Saturday.
When asked, during his remarks, if he had "told [Republicans] that any deal is going to have to involve some compromise," Boehner responded, "I have."
While "some members" may refuse to move away from the "Cut, Cap and Balance" bill, Boehner said most would not.
"I'm sure we've got some members who believe that," Boehner said, when asked if he sensed that some House Republicans were "locked in" to the GOP plan.
"But I do not believe that would be anywhere close to the majority," he added. "At the end of the day, we have a responsibility to act. And we have two problems; we have a debt ceiling that has to be raised and if we don't deal with the size of our debt, our credit rating is going to be downgraded."
Still, the Ohio Republican continued to press for the "Cut, Cap and Balance" plan, and argued that "the ball continues to be in the president's court" on making a deal happen.
"The Republicans have laid out a responsible and detailed path forward and the House has passed it. The Senate should now pass Cut, Cap and Balance and -- and it's already cleared the house with bipartisan support and I'm hopeful that the Senate will do so as well," Boehner said.
"Listen, the ball continues to be in the president's court and it's been there for some time," he continued. "If we're going to avoid default and prevent a downgrade of our credit rating, if we're going to create jobs and jumpstart the economy, I think he needs to step up and work with us on the spending cuts and reforms that the American people are demanding."
House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday he had prepared Republicans to expect that any deal on raising the debt ceiling would necessarily involve compromise, although he acknowledged that not all the lawmakers in his caucus would be willing to concede to such terms.
Later on Thursday, Boehner shot down a report from the New York Times that lawmakers in Washington were close to reaching a significant deal for raising the debt ceiling and reducing the deficit.
"While we are keeping the lines of communication open, there is no 'deal' and no progress to report," Boehner spokesman Michael Steel told CBS News Senior Political Producer Jill Jackson. "We are still focused on the 'Cut, Cap, and Balance' bill that passed the House with bipartisan support, and hope the Senate will take it up as soon as possible."
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor also told Jackson that, while he was "unaware of any deal that has been struck," there were "all kinds of options on the table."
When asked if he would support a deal with $3 trillion in cuts and a tax reform pledge that didn't include decoupling, the Virginia Republican reiterated his commitment to reducing debt and reforming entitlements.
"I have said all along, as has the Speaker, that we want to try to do as much as we can to get towards reforming the system of entitlement in this country we want to make sure we put the country on to a path of fiscal balance," he said.
