–Obama Says Meeting Civil, Not Going to Play Washington Spin Games
–Senate, House Republican Leaders Seek Extension of All Bush-Era Cuts
–Rep. Boehner: Hill Will Negotiate with Tsy’s Geithner, OMB’s Lew
–Rep. Boehner: Need To ‘Extend All Of The Current Rates’
–Rep. Boehner: ‘Optimistic’ Tax Cut Accord Can Be Reached
–Sen. McConnell: Must Resolve Tax Cut, Spending Issue Soon
–Sen. McConnell: Tax and Spending Accords Would Remove ‘Uncertainty’

By John Shaw

WASHINGTON (MNI) – House Republican leader John Boehner and Senate
Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday after a meeting with
President Obama that they believe Congress will be able to reach an
agreement with the White House on extending the Bush era tax cuts.

Speaking to reporters from Boehner’s office, the two GOP leaders
said the agreement they will accept would extend all of the Bush era tax
cuts, but hinted the length of the extension will be the primary focus
of the talks.

Boehner, who will become the House Speaker in January, said it’s
important to “extend all of the current rates.”

He said he remains “optimistic” that an agreement can be reached.

For his part, Obama went before TV cameras to say he felt there was
a feeling expressed by both sides not to practice sound-bit
one-upmanship and to hold more meetings, including some at Camp David,
to work on whatever common ground exists.

Boehner and Obama said four congressional representatives — a
House Democrat and a House Republican and a Senate Democrat and a Senate
Republican — will negotiate the tax cut issue with Treasury Secretary
Timothy Geithner and White House budget director Jack Lew.

McConnell, like Obama, said there was “widespread agreement” at the
meeting between the president and congressional leaders that Congress
must resolve the tax issue and agree on a plan to fund the government
for the rest of the 2011 fiscal year.

Such an agreement, McConnell said would “take away the uncertainty”
and could pave the way to progress on other issues.

Looking beyond this year’s tax cut debate, Boehner said Obama
indicated that he was “committed” to meeting more frequently with
congressional leaders on various issues next year.

This should allow the White House and Congress to “find some common
ground” on key matters.

House Democratic leaders had been preparing to hold a vote later
this week on a bill to extend the Bush era tax cuts for those
individuals making $200,000 or less and couples making $250,000 or less.

And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had said that he wanted the
Senate to hold “some votes” on alternative tax cut packages in the
coming weeks.

It is unclear if these votes will occur given the tax cut talks
that are now set to begin between the administration and Congress.

Said Obama, “They understand these aren’t times for us to be
playing games.” He said the next election is two years away and “right
now, we’re facing some very serious challenges. We share an obligation
to meet them and that will require choosing the best of our ideas over
the worst of our politics.”

** Market News International Washington Bureau: (202) 371-2121 **

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