Boehner will offer short-term debt ceiling increase to Obama

House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said yesterday he would give US President Barack Obama a proposal temporarily extending the government's ability to borrow money and averting a potential default - but only if he agrees to negotiate over ending a partial government shutdown and a longer-term increase in the debt ceiling.

Though the Republican proposal could avert an unprecedented federal default that the Obama administration has warned could occur as early as Thursday, it would not necessarily bring a quick end to the separate partial federal shutdown. Obama has insisted that Congress reopen the government without condition.

A White House official said Obama would be willing to negotiate over the budget "once Republicans in Congress act to remove the threat of default and end this harmful government shutdown". Boehner said the measure to allow the US to borrow money would advance if Obama agreed to negotiate over reopening the government and to "start to deal with America's pressing problems". Republicans said the extension would last until November 22.

"It's time for leadership," Boehner said. "It's time for these negotiations and this conversation to begin."

Boehner also said he would appoint House negotiators to try to sort out differences between vastly different House- and Senate-passed budget blueprints.

Boehner and other Republicans who control the House were travelling to the White House later yesterday to discuss their budget battle with Obama.

Under Boehner's offer, the House would also appoint negotiators to bargain with the Democratic-led Senate over a budget compromise. Those talks have been on hold for months and the two chambers have deep differences over taxes and cuts in benefit programmes.