Lew Says He Is Optimistic About Agreement Over U.S. Budget

U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew expressed optimism the Obama administration and Republicans can reach a budget agreement and warned that the lack of a deal would hurt the economy and job growth.

“I actually have found it heartening that as more and more senators and congressmen look at the details, they’re finding that on many of the things there’s room for us to maybe agree,” Lew said in an interview with Peter Cook on Bloomberg Television today. While both sides see the “contours” of an agreement, “we just can’t quite figure out a way to get there.”