President Barack Obama urged Congress to reopen government and raise the debt limit immediately, while visiting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Monday, according to news reports said.
Obama underscored the dangers of government services' losses because of the shutdown, which entered its second week, adding that FEMA has already sent home about 100 employees.
The federal government shut down most of its operations on October 1 after Congressional Republicans have insisted to make defunding or delaying Obama's healthcare law before agreeing on a budget plan.
President Obama presented a challenge to House Speaker John Boehner:
"My very strong suspicion is there are enough votes there [to pass legislation.] Hold a vote. Call a vote right now. Let's see what happens," he said.
To complicate matters, the U.S. faces the possibility of a debt default if lawmakers do not raise the federal borrowing cap by October 17, news reports said. Obama has said he would not negotiate over raising the debt limit, Reuters reported.
In finance, a default occurs when a debtor has not met his or her legal obligations, according to the debt contract. Essentially, it is the failure to pay back a loan. Such a default would have "catastrophic impacts" in the U.S. economy, a White House official old reporters.
"The longer the debt limit is extended, the greater the certainty for our economy," White House National Economic Director Gene Sperling told reporters. "That said, it is the responsibility of Congress to decide how long and how often they want to vote on doing that."
Speaker Boehner vowed Sunday not to raise the debt ceiling without a "serious conversation" about what is driving it.
"I'm willing to sit down and have a conversation with the president [but] Obama's "refusal to negotiate is putting our country at risk," Boehner said on ABC's 'This Week.'
The shutdown represents the first in America since late 1995.
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