House Republican leaders spoke to reporters. Speaker John Boehner said that he and President Obama had spoken the previous day, but they had not yet agreed on a way to avoid the “fiscal cliff” of automatic tax increases and sequestration budget cuts at the end of 2012 if Congress failed to reach a new budget agreement. He said that the president had not presented a balanced plan. Majority Leader Eric Cantor said that he was committed to keeping the House in session through Christmas Eve and the days leading up to the new year until Congress and the president reached an agreement.