No New Offer From White House
President Barack Obama is not making a new offer to leaders during a meeting Friday at the White House, multiple sources told Roll Call, and is sticking with his push for higher taxes on income above $250,000.
According to one source, the president believes that the proposal he outlined last week can pass both chambers. The proposal includes protecting everyone making $250,000 or less from seeing their taxes go up, extending unemployment insurance that will prevent 2 million from losing benefits, among other provisions.
Obama is going to ask if the Republicans have a counterproposal that can pass both chambers, and if not, he will ask for an up-or-down vote on his plan. The meeting broke up at about 4:15 p.m., after a little more than a hour. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate leaders Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., all left the White House without comment.