Boehner Says No Progress in ‘Very Frank’ Budget Meeting

House Speaker John Boehner reported no progress from what he called a “polite” though “very frank” meeting with President Barack Obama over the automatic spending cuts known as sequestration.

“I don’t think anyone quite understands how it gets resolved,” said Boehner, speaking on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press.”

Boehner, who met March 1 with Obama and other congressional leaders, blamed Democrats for the impasse over the “silly” cuts. He also said Republicans will hold firm in their demands for cuts in entitlement spending.

“I’ve been here for 22 years” and “I’ve watched leaders from both parties kick this can down the road,” said Boehner. “We’re out of road to kick the can down. We’ve got a long-term spending problem that has to be addressed’” and “it is going to be addressed.”

At the same time, Boehner said Republicans have no interest in shuttering the government later this month when Congress will have to approve budget legislation to keep federal agencies running beyond March 27.

“We should not have any talk of a government shutdown so I’m hopeful that the House and Senate will be able to work through this,” he said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Faler in Washington at 1919 or bfaler@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Katherine Rizzo at krizzo5@bloomberg.net

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U.S. House Speaker John Boehner

Pete Marovich/Bloomberg

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican from Ohio, who met with President Obama and other congressional leaders, blamed Democrats for the impasse over the "silly" cuts.

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican from Ohio, who met with President Obama and other congressional leaders, blamed Democrats for the impasse over the "silly" cuts. Photographer: Pete Marovich/Bloomberg