WASHINGTON (AP) The office of the leader of the House of Representatives says a small group of House Republicans will meet with President Barack Obama Thursday instead of the full caucus that the White House invited.
Brendan Buck, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, said Wednesday that the meeting is only worthwhile if it's focused on finding a solution. So Buck said only the elected leadership and select committee chairmen will attend 18 lawmakers out of the 232 invited.
Obama was having the entire House Democratic caucus on Wednesday. The White House said the president intends to also invite senators to talk in the coming days.
Republicans are demanding talks on deficit reduction and Obama's health care law to approve spending legislation. Obama says he won't negotiate until the budget is approved with no strings attached.
