Obama: No negotiations with Congress on debt ceiling and healthcare reform law

U.S. President Barack Obama. PHOTO/File

(Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday he would not negotiate with Congress over whether to raise the U.S. debt ceiling and chided Republicans for threatening to bring the government to a halt in an effort to repeal his signature healthcare reform law.

The White House is gearing up for difficult budget talks with lawmakers, but it has said consistently that the president would not negotiate over the debt limit, which must be raised so Washington can pay its bills.

“I will not negotiate over whether or not America keeps its word and meets its obligations. I will not negotiate over the full faith and credit of the United States,” Obama said at the White House.

“This country has worked too hard for too long to dig out of a crisis just to see their elected representatives here in Washington purposely cause another crisis,” he said.