Obama Says He Expects Congress To Pass Debt Ceiling

(AP) — President Barack Obama says he doesn’t expect Congress to breach the deadline to increase the nation’s borrowing limit.

He says he’s willing to negotiate changes to his signature health care law and to find ways to reduce spending, but stresses he will not bargain until after Congress reopens the government and passed a new debt ceiling.

Obama says there’s a majority of lawmakers in the House who would vote to end the partial government shutdown and raise the credit limit without conditions.

Obama spoke during an interview with The Associated Press.

The government is expected to hits its $16.7 trillion debt ceiling in mid-October.

Failure to raise that limit could lead to a first-ever default. Republicans want cuts in federal benefit programs and future deficits in exchange for their votes.