President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner will hold their latest session over the fiscal cliff beginning at four o'clock central time Thursday. Boehner will go to the White House.
The Speaker is set to go home to Ohio on Friday, when Congress adjourns for the Christmas break. Boehner has said he will always be available to talk with the president by phone.
He has blamed Mr. Obama for not getting serious about reaching a deal. He told reporters, "ifs and buts are like candy and nuts. If that were the case, everyday would be Christmas. Listen, my goal is to get through. I know it's going to be here real soon, my goal is to get to an agreement with the president of the United States that addresses this problem."
Earlier Thursday afternoon, the president attended a staff holiday party. He told reporters as he left the White House a "fiscal cliff deal is still a work in progress.
