Boehner: White House needs to ‘get serious’ about debt-limit talks

House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday that he wants to reach a deal with the White House on raising the debt limit “as soon as possible,” and expressed frustration that closed-door talks led by Vice President Joe Biden have not progressed quickly enough.

“We haven’t seen enough progress from the White House,” Boehner said. “It’s time for them to step up to the plate and get serious.”

Talks between the White House and congressional leaders are entering their second month as the two sides negotiate a package of spending cuts and budget reforms that could be win bipartisan support in exchange for a vote on raising the nation’s $14.3-trillion debt limit.

Republicans have refused to raise the borrowing capacity without budget cuts. The Treasury Department has said the debt limit must be raised by Aug. 2 to avoid a default on government obligations.

lmascaro@tribune.com