White House: No negotiations on debt ceiling

David Jackson | USA TODAY

The White House says President Obama has not changed his position: He will not negotiate raising the debt ceiling next year.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday he hopes Republicans will not make demands "when it comes to the full faith and credit of the United States."

That could lead to a government default, and all the damage it could do "to our economy and to the middle class, to job creation and to the Republican Party," Carney said.

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., said on Fox News Sunday that Republican lawmakers will soon decide whether to seek additional budget cuts or other concessions in exchange for an increase in the debt limit in the next several months.

"We're going to decide what it is we can accomplish out of this debt limit fight," Ryan said.

The October agreement to end the government shutdown suspended the debt limit until Feb. 7. At that point, the Treasury Department can invoke special measures that would allow the government to continue borrowing for another month or so.

Carney praised Ryan and others for their work on a pending budget deal, and said he hopes similar cooperation will emerge over increasing the debt ceiling -- without any negotiations.

"The president's position has not changed," Carney said.