Boehner’s press secretary would not confirm that the leadership meeting has been scheduled.
“The Speaker hopes to meet with the president to discuss the need to keep the government open while making real cuts in spending, and we’re working with the White House to schedule that meeting,” Boehner spokesman Michael Steel told The Hill.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) also are expected to be part of those talks to discuss proposed reductions in spending, with the Friday deadline to keep the government funded looming.
Meanwhile, Rogers criticized Reid for failing to put forward a budget plan, saying that the majority leader “is attempting to abuse the budget process and limit the ability of appropriations negotiators to complete their work, dictating the use of gimmicks and phony accounting to sneak more spending through the Congress.”
While progress has been made to reduce federal spending, Rogers said, “[W]e cannot and will not falter in our commitment to concrete spending cuts that will start the downward trajectory of federal budgets for years to come.”
—Molly Hooper contributed to this report.