Cantor repeats stand against CR fight

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said Monday he was committed to avoiding a showdown on a stop-gap measure to fund government.

Cantor said he and other House Republicans still would seek cuts to the federal deficit, but they would honor the debt deal with the White House that sets spending at a higher level than the GOP's $3.5 trillion budget developed by Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, chairman of the House Budget Committee, Roll Call reported.

"I am supportive of a [continuing resolution] being written at that level," Cantor said. "The risk of bringing about brinkmanship or another shutdown [fight] would not be helpful."

Cantor said Republicans generally support addressing a temporary spending bill that would keep the federal government operational after the end of the fiscal year Sept. 30.

Cantor's recommitment to the debt deal -- he first stated his position last week -- comes as a small, vocal group of House conservatives began to push for a resumption of their confrontation with President Obama and Democrats over the size of the federal budget. Roll Call said the conservatives have insisted debt deal levels be viewed only as a ceiling for spending in the temporary funding bill and have urged leadership to be true to Ryan's levels.

Republicans are expected to introduce a concurrent resolution by mid-September that would fund the government through November.