Heller doesn’t rule out deal for short term

WASHINGTON -- With Congress seemingly bogged down and a government crisis looming, Sen. Dean Heller said Saturday that lawmakers and President Barack Obama still might agree on "one or two" short-term debt-ceiling extensions to avert default.

Obama has said he would rule out "short-term" extensions but might agree to raise the ceiling for a few days if it appears congressional leaders have a deal and need a bit more time to get it passed beyond an Aug. 2 deadline.

Heller, R-Nev., said it might take more than that to avoid default.

Heller also said the key players in any final agreement remain Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, even though earlier negotiations between them collapsed a week ago.

"I ultimately believe the deal has to be cut between the speaker and the president," Heller said. "That's not to say there aren't going to be a couple of extensions out there that will be necessary for that deal to happen."

Time extensions could amount to "30 days here, 60 days there," Heller said. "I don't know if that is going to happen, but it would not surprise me if it did."

One way or the other, Heller said, the president and Congress will take some action before Tuesday to avert default.

Meanwhile Heller was one of 43 Republicans who signed a letter declaring they would vote against a debt bill sponsored by fellow Nevadan Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader. Heller said it would not work to reduce spending and shrink the government.

"I believe Reid's bill is the status quo," he said. "The only thing it would allow is more spending, and clearly more borrowing in the future. It puts no restraints on how we do business in Washington."