US House move may avoid government shutdown

In a move that may avoid a government shutdown in five days, US House Speaker John Boehner on Thursday evening signaled a shift in Republican tactics with the focus now on negotiating a compromise on raising the federal debt ceiling next month instead of a short-term spending plan now. He and other Republican leaders called on President Barack Obama to negotiate with them to increase how much the government can borrow to pay its bills in exchange for concessions such as delaying implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the national health insurance law known as Obamacare. But Obama has rejected any political deals on the debt ceiling. "I will not negotiate on anything when it comes to the full faith and credit of the United States of America," Obama said. Congress is wrestling with two potential showdowns as deadlines loom to fund the government before the end of the fiscal year on Monday, as well as increasing the debt ceiling by Oct. 17. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said this week the debt ceiling must be raised by Oct. 17, or the government may not have enough money to pay all of its bills. Similar congressional brinksmanship over the debt ceiling in 2011 led to the first-ever downgrade of the U.S. credit rating. At a news conference after meeting with his caucus Thursday, Boehner said the House might further revise a Senate spending plan, but that he did not expect a government shutdown to happen