WASHINGTON — White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Tuesday that President Barack Obama would not oppose a bill that the House will take up this week to raise the debt limit for three months and tie congressional pay to whether or not lawmakers pass a budget.
The measure, being pushed by House Republicans, would lift the debt limit until May 19 without raising it by a specific dollar figure. Additionally, lawmakers would have to pass a budget before April 15 or they would stop receiving paychecks under a "no budget, no pay" provision.
"He would not stand in the way of the bill becoming law," Carney said, though adding that there were some items that had to be worked out in Congress before enough support would be found to pass the measure.
Obama has consistently asked Congress for longer-term hikes to the debt limit as president, warning of dangers to the economy if the government goes from crisis to crisis.
The House of Representatives is set to vote on the bill on Wednesday.