White House and House Republicans Commit to Talks on the Debt Ceiling

Oct. 17 deadline looming

The White House and House Republicans have committed to talking about ways to avoid a default on U.S. debt, the first concrete sign of a potential compromise since the government shut down 11 days ago.

The looming question is whether a short-term agreement to raise the debt ceiling will come at the expense of reopening the government and the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who remain furloughed.