President Barack Obama met with Republican leaders from the House on Thursday to discuss ways to avoid the potential "economic chaos" that could ensue if an agreement to raise the debt ceiling isn't reached by Oct. 17; Republicans proposed a short term proposal that would allow the United States to continue borrowing money for six weeks if the White House would agree to negotiations to lower the deficit, according to CBS News.
While the White House did not agree to the Republican proposal on Thursday night they did agree to continue talking; there have been virtually no discussion since the government shutdown began, according to NBC News.
"After a discussion about potential paths forward, no specific determination was made," a statement from the White House read. "The President looks forward to making continued progress with members on both sides of the aisle. The President's goal remains to ensure we pay the bills we've incurred, reopen the government and get back to the business of growing the economy, creating jobs and strengthening the middle class."
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., echoed the sentiments from the White House when he spoke to reporters afterwards.
"We had a very useful meeting. It was clarifying, I think, to both sides as to where we are," Cantor said. "The takeaway form the meeting was, our teams are going to be talking further tonight. We'll have more discussion. We will come back to have more discussion."
House Republicans have been reluctant to pass any sort of legislation that doesn't severely cut funding to either the Affordable Care Act or other government programs; Democrats in the Senate and President Obama have refused to accept a continuing resolution or a bill to raise the debt limit that cuts into funding that has already been approved.
The fight over the debt ceiling has in some ways placed the government shutdown on the backburner. Yet every day more and more government departments are finding themselves to be out of funds. The National Science Foundation has had to shutter their Antarctic research facilities while farmers are having trouble getting in touch with personnel from the Department of Agriculture to co-sign checks earned from selling their goods, according to Politico.
