Federal workers demonstrate against the government shutdown in front of the US Capitol in Washington, yesterday.
WASHINGTON: The White House said yesterday that President Barack Obama would veto the latest series of 10 Republican spending bills designed to restart selected services amid the government shutdown, echoing veto threats made on similar House of Representatives measures earlier this week.
“The administration strongly opposes House passage of piecemeal fiscal year 2014 appropriations legislation that restores only very limited activities,” the White House said in a statement.
“Consideration of appropriations bills in this fashion is not a serious or responsible way to run the United States government,” the White House said.
Meanwhile, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said the House will not vote on a “clean” spending bill without conditions to end the government shutdown, and demanded spending cuts in exchange for raising the government’s borrowing limit.
“I don’t believe we should default on our debt,” Boehner told reporters after meeting with his Republican caucus. But he added, “If we are going to raise the amount of money we can borrow, we ought to do something about our spending problem and lack of economic growth.”
The government went into partial shutdown on Tuesday after lawmakers failed to settle a dispute in which Republicans are demanding the dismantling of President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law in exchange for approving a deal.
On October 17, the government is expected to hit the so-called debt ceiling, setting up another fiscal showdown with potentially more dire economic consequences.
Reuters
