Associated Press Release

By JIM KUHNHENN
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A person familiar with the details says President Barack Obama is not making a new `fiscal cliff' offer at his high-stakes meeting with congressional leaders at the White House.

Obama instead is spelling out again a plan he says can pass the House and Senate, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was unauthorized to speak publicly about the private meeting.

Obama wants a bill to halt looming tax increases on all families making $250,000 a year or less and would extend unemployment insurance to many people about to lose it. His proposal would also cover other issues as the Jan. 1 deadline nears.

If he does not get a counter proposal that can pass both chambers, Obama will press for a straight up-or-down vote on his idea, the source said.

AP-WF-12-28-12 2100GMT

Associated Press Release

December 27, 2012 - Eds: APNewsNow.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House will be back in session Sunday evening as the "fiscal cliff" looms, threatening across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts with the new year.

Officials said the Republican leadership informed the GOP rank and file of the plan to meet during a conference call Thursday.

It is unclear what legislation the House might consider Sunday, since Speaker John Boehner is publicly insisting that the Senate must make the next move to avert the cliff.

With the Senate in session, Democrats in both chambers of Congress have been harshly critical of the House's absence.

The "fiscal cliff" deadline is four days away.

The officials who disclosed plans for the Sunday session did so on condition of anonymity, saying no public announcement had yet been made.

AP-WF-12-27-12 2021GMT