[h=3]By COREY BOLES[/h]WASHINGTON—House Speaker John Boehner on Friday said he hopes "productive conversations" begin soon between the White House and Congress regarding the so-called fiscal cliff but underscored that Republicans won't agree to higher income-tax rates.
In his third public appearance since Tuesday's election, Mr. Boehner (R., Ohio) said he was ready to work with President Barack Obama to reach an agreement that avoids a scheduled combination of tax increases and spending cuts due at the end of this year.
The Journal will broadcast President Obama's speech live, expected to begin at 1 p.m. ET, on both the home page and on the Fiscal Cliff stream.
Mr. Boehner also addressed the Republicans' election performance, saying the party "has a lot of work to do," particularly in how it communicates its positions to the electorate. Mr. Obama beat Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney to win a second term, while Democrats increased their Senate majority and gained seats in the GOP-controlled House.
The speaker left little doubt that Republicans would continue to oppose income-tax increases, though he did keep the door open to new revenue from ending some tax deductions.
"The problem with raising tax rates on the wealthiest Americans is we know that more than half of them are small-business owners," Mr. Boehner said. "We also know that it would slow down our economy." But, he added, "It's clear there are all kinds of deductions, some of which make sense, some of which don't."
Mr. Boehner spoke from Capitol Hill ahead of Mr. Obama's scheduled address Friday at the White House to outline his principles for how to avert the fiscal cliff. Mr. Boehner provided few specifics about his party's negotiating positions beyond the tax-related statements, saying he didn't want to "box himself in" ahead of negotiations with Democrats.
Without congressional action, federal income taxes will rise at the end of the year, as will rates levied on capital gains, dividends and estates. Last year's deficit law also requires $110 billion in cuts to defense and other domestic spending.
Mr. Boehner said another place to get needed federal revenue was to collect more taxes, noting that the Internal Revenue Service wasn't gathering all taxes owed by individuals and businesses. He also said a simpler tax code would lead to increased economic output and increased government revenue.
He declined to say whether the need to raise the country's statutory borrowing limit, which will need to be increased again early next year, would be addressed as part of fiscal-cliff negotiations. The debt ceiling is likely going to have to be raised in the first quarter of 2013 to support continued federal borrowing. Republicans in 2010 used a needed debt-ceiling increase as leverage in deficit negotiations that led to the law setting up the fiscal cliff.
In his third public appearance since Tuesday's election, Mr. Boehner (R., Ohio) said he was ready to work with President Barack Obama to reach an agreement that avoids a scheduled combination of tax increases and spending cuts due at the end of this year.
The Journal will broadcast President Obama's speech live, expected to begin at 1 p.m. ET, on both the home page and on the Fiscal Cliff stream.
Mr. Boehner also addressed the Republicans' election performance, saying the party "has a lot of work to do," particularly in how it communicates its positions to the electorate. Mr. Obama beat Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney to win a second term, while Democrats increased their Senate majority and gained seats in the GOP-controlled House.
The speaker left little doubt that Republicans would continue to oppose income-tax increases, though he did keep the door open to new revenue from ending some tax deductions.
"The problem with raising tax rates on the wealthiest Americans is we know that more than half of them are small-business owners," Mr. Boehner said. "We also know that it would slow down our economy." But, he added, "It's clear there are all kinds of deductions, some of which make sense, some of which don't."
Mr. Boehner spoke from Capitol Hill ahead of Mr. Obama's scheduled address Friday at the White House to outline his principles for how to avert the fiscal cliff. Mr. Boehner provided few specifics about his party's negotiating positions beyond the tax-related statements, saying he didn't want to "box himself in" ahead of negotiations with Democrats.
Without congressional action, federal income taxes will rise at the end of the year, as will rates levied on capital gains, dividends and estates. Last year's deficit law also requires $110 billion in cuts to defense and other domestic spending.
Mr. Boehner said another place to get needed federal revenue was to collect more taxes, noting that the Internal Revenue Service wasn't gathering all taxes owed by individuals and businesses. He also said a simpler tax code would lead to increased economic output and increased government revenue.
He declined to say whether the need to raise the country's statutory borrowing limit, which will need to be increased again early next year, would be addressed as part of fiscal-cliff negotiations. The debt ceiling is likely going to have to be raised in the first quarter of 2013 to support continued federal borrowing. Republicans in 2010 used a needed debt-ceiling increase as leverage in deficit negotiations that led to the law setting up the fiscal cliff.