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US Congress to Reconvene, Continue Fiscal Talks

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., walks to a closed-door meeting with fellow Democrats as he and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., work to negotiate a legislative path to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff," at the Capitol in Washingt

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Kent Klein

December 30, 2012

WHITE HOUSE — The drama over the U.S. government’s so-called “fiscal cliff” enters its final day before the deadline on Monday, with no agreement between Democrats and Republicans. Americans will face tax increases and deep government cuts on Tuesday if no agreement is passed and signed before then.

In a prayer at the opening of Sunday’s Senate session, Chaplain Barry Black asked God to help the two parties find a compromise. “Lord, show them the right thing to do, and give them the courage to do it. And save us from self-inflicted wounds," he said.

By the end of the day’s session, the prayer was still unanswered.

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The top Senate Democrat, Majority Leader Harry Reid, said the talks would move into the crucial final hours on Monday. “There is still significant distance between the two sides, but negotiations continue. There is still time left to reach an agreement, and we intend to continue negotiations," he said.

Earlier, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell asked Vice President Joe Biden to enter the negotiations.

The top Senate Republican was frustrated that Reid had not made a counteroffer to his proposal from late Saturday, and said Democrats have shown a lack of urgency in the talks. “The sticking point appears to be a willingness, an interest, or frankly, the courage to close the deal. I want everyone to know I am willing to get this done, but I need a dance partner," he said.

Biden and McConnell, former Senate colleagues, have negotiated previous agreements.

President Barack Obama expressed his frustration about the impasse in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” recorded Saturday. The president blamed Republicans for the failure to forge a compromise. “I think anybody, objectively, who has looked at this would say that we have put forward not only a sensible deal, but one that has the support of the majority of the American people, including close to half of Republicans," he said.

House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner retorted that it was the president, not House Republicans, who was unable to say yes to a deal. In a written statement, Boehner said, “Americans elected President Obama to lead, not cast blame.”

If legislation to avert the “fiscal cliff” is not passed by Congress and signed by Mr. Obama by the end of Monday, almost every American would face a substantial tax increase. Government programs, including defense, would suffer severe budget cuts, and unemployment benefits would be slashed.

Economists and officials from both parties agree that failure to reach an agreement would have a devastating effect on the U.S. economic recovery.

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US Congress to Reconvene, Continue Fiscal Talks

<h1>US Congress to Reconvene, Continue Fiscal Talks</h1><img src="http://www.voanews.com/App_Themes/VOA_en-US/img/colorLogo.gif"/>The drama over the U.S. government’s so-called “fiscal cliff” enters its final day before the deadline on Monday, with no agreement between Democrats and Republicans.  Americans will face tax increases and deep government cuts on Tuesday if no agreement is passed and signed before then.<br /> <br /> In a prayer at the opening of Sunday’s Senate session, Chaplain Barry Black asked God to help the two parties find a compromise. “Lord, show them the right thing to do, and give them the courage to do it.  And save us from self-inflicted wounds," he said.<br /> <br /> By the end of the day’s session, the prayer was still unanswered.<br /> <br /> <strong>Related video by Michael Bowman:</strong><br /> <br /> <div><div id="vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d" class="mediaplayer videoplayer"> <div id="vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d_swfFlash"> <link id="vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d_h5t_DynamicLink2" HrefTemplate="~/css{0}/jquery.ui.cssx" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <div class="playerUI1 big Video j_fullscreen_container j_player j_html5" id="vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d_h5t" style="width:640px"> <div class="can-play"> <div class="videoInner j_media-block"> <video id="vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d_h5t_h5pHtml5" poster="http://gdb.voanews.com/6E3DACC2-EB28-4029-9C50-5BF38B6ECBFA_.jpg" width="640px" height="392px"> <source src="http://cdnbakmi.kaltura.com/p/1175831/sp/117583100/serveFlavor/entryId/1_u9gvs7fm/flavorId/1_h4fl45mj/name/a.mp4" type="video/mp4"> </source> </video> <img title="please wait" class="j_waiting waiting" src="../../img/loading.gif" alt="Loading" /> <div class="j_title media-title" style="display:none"> <span id="vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d_h5t_spaMediaTitle" class="j_title-text">United States Careens Towards Fiscal Cliff</span> <button class="j_title-close" type="button" title="Hide">✖</button> </div> </div> <div class="playerButtons j_playerButtons j_mediaWidth"> <div class="playerButtonsInner">  <button type="button" class="j_play play" title="Play"><span>▶</span></button> <button type="button" class="j_pause pause" style="display:none" title=""><span>||</span></button> <button type="button" class="j_stop stop" title="Pause"><span>■</span></button>  <div class="playprogressbar_container j_mediaWidth" data-wplus="-235"> <div class="j_play_loader progressbar_loader"></div> <div class="j_play_slider progressbar_slider" style=""></div> </div>  <div class="times"> <span class="j_elapsed time-elapsed">12:00:00</span> / <span class="j_total time-total">-:--:--</span> </div> <div class="right-controls">  <div class="j_all_volume_controls all_volume_controls"> <div class="j_volume_container volumeprogressbar_container"> <div class="j_volume_slider volume_slider" style=""></div> </div> <button type="button" class="j_mute mute loud"> <span class="mute" title="">🔇</span> <span class="unmute" title="">🔉</span> </button> </div>  <a id="vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d_h5t_hylFullscreen" class="j_fullscreen fullscreen" title="" href="/flashembed.aspx?t=vid&id=1575054&w=100%&skin=embededfullscreen" href="/flashembed.aspx?t=vid&id=1575054&w=100%&skin=embededfullscreen" target="_blank"><span>⎚</span></a> <a id="vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d_h5t_hylShare" class="share" onclick="return openSharePopup('http://www.voanews.com/emailtofriend/video/1575054.html?isflashembed=true')" href="http://www.voanews.com/emailtofriend/video/1575054.html?isflashembed=true" target="_blank" href="http://www.voanews.com/emailtofriend/video/1575054.html?isflashembed=true" target="_blank"><img src="../../img/player_ico_share_darkbg.png" alt="Share" /></a> </div> </div> </div> <button id="vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d_h5t_Button1" type="button" class="j_play playBig" title="Play"><span>▶</span></button> </div> <div class="cannot-play j_errorContainer"> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> //height correcture of the video by buttons var oVid = $("#vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d_h5t video"); oVid.attr("height", oVid.outerHeight(true) - $(".j_playerButtons").outerHeight(true) + "px"); </script> </div><script type="text/javascript" src="/js/RFERL.Site/6.13.0.31653/swfobject.x.js"> </script><script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ swfobject.embedSWF('/flash_6.13.0.31653.04/MediaPlayer.swfx?cache=', 'vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d_swfFlash', '640px', '392px', '10.0.0', '/flash/expressInstall.swf', {'defvolume': getVolume(),'brand': 'VOA','configFilePath': '%2fGetFlashXml.aspx%3fparam%3d1575054%7cuser%7cvideo'}, {'wmode': 'transparent','allowFullScreen': 'true'}, {});//]]> </script> </div><script type='text/javascript' defer='defer'>/*<![CDATA[*/Sys.Application.add_init(function() {if($get('vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d_h5t_h5pHtml5') != null)$create(RFERL.UI.Web.Controls.Html5MediaPlayerBehavior, {"GA_MediaName":"1575054_United States Careens Towards Fiscal Cliff","showAlternateContentOnError":true,"showAlternateContentOnNoSource":false,"uiId":"vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d_h5t"}, null, null, $get("vecc93aebcbd54e408ed6d5a21c4a244d_h5t_h5pHtml5"));});/*]]>*/</script><div class='downloadvideoico'>Download<ul><li><a href=http://cdnbakmi.kaltura.com/p/1175831/sp/117583100/serveFlavor/entryId/1_u9gvs7fm/flavorId/1_h4fl45mj/name/a.mp4 class='roloverlinkvideoico'>Medium Quality(8.81 MB)</a></li><li><a href=http://cdnbakmi.kaltura.com/p/1175831/sp/117583100/serveFlavor/entryId/1_u9gvs7fm/flavorId/1_lfuvp6pi/name/a.mp4 class='roloverlinkvideoico'>Low Quality(18.3 MB)</a></li></ul></div></div> <br /> The top Senate Democrat, Majority Leader Harry Reid, said the talks would move into the crucial final hours on Monday. “There is still significant distance between the two sides, but negotiations continue.  There is still time left to reach an agreement, and we intend to continue negotiations," he said.<br /> <br /> Earlier, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell asked Vice President Joe Biden to enter the negotiations.<br /> <br /> The top Senate Republican was frustrated that Reid had not made a counteroffer to his proposal from late Saturday, and said Democrats have shown a lack of urgency in the talks. “The sticking point appears to be a willingness, an interest, or frankly, the courage to close the deal.  I want everyone to know I am willing to get this done, but I need a dance partner," he said.<br /> <br /> Biden and McConnell, former Senate colleagues, have negotiated previous agreements.<br /> <br /> President Barack Obama expressed his frustration about the impasse in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” recorded Saturday.  The president blamed Republicans for the failure to forge a compromise.  “I think anybody, objectively, who has looked at this would say that we have put forward not only a sensible deal, but one that has the support of the majority of the American people, including close to half of Republicans," he said.<br /> <br /> House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner retorted that it was the president, not House Republicans, who was unable to say yes to a deal.  In a written statement, Boehner said, “Americans elected President Obama to lead, not cast blame.”<br /> <br /> If legislation to avert the “fiscal cliff” is not passed by Congress and signed by Mr. Obama by the end of Monday, almost every American would face a substantial tax increase.  Government programs, including defense, would suffer severe budget cuts, and unemployment benefits would be slashed.<br /> <br /> Economists and officials from both parties agree that failure to reach an agreement would have a devastating effect on the U.S. economic recovery. <p>  </p><link rel="canonical" href="http://www.voanews.com/content/us-congress-reconvene-monday-continue-fiscal-cliff-talks/1574914.html"/><meta name="syndication-source" content="http://www.voanews.com/content/us-congress-reconvene-monday-continue-fiscal-cliff-talks/1574914.html"/><img src="http://livetracker.voanews.eu/counter.lt?PageType=256&RecordId=1574914&SiteId=415&r=1471234135&it=0&pd=20121231010832&url=ArticleID1574914" alt="" style="border:none;" height="1" width="1">

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