House Speaker John Boehner is demanding that the White House and congressional Democrats negotiate with congressional Republicans about ways to re-open the government and address criticisms of the president's health care law.

Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) (R) joins (L-R) Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-VA) hold a news conference after a House Republican caucus meeting
Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) (R) joins (L-R) Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-VA) hold a news conference after a House Republican caucus meeting (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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Boehner told reporters Friday, "this isn't some damn game." He said House Republicans still want "fairness to the American people" under the program critics call "Obamacare."

President Barack Obama has refused GOP calls to delay a major element of the health law enacted in 2010.

House Republican Whip Kevin McCarthy said that Obama's decision to cancel an Asia trip offers the "perfect opportunity to begin negotiations."

Democrats say they will negotiate budget matters with Republicans but they will not alter the health care law that survived a Supreme Court challenge and Obama's 2012 re-election.

Pelosi: Republicans can't even talk to themselves

 House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi says no progress has been made toward ending the government shutdown because "it's very hard to negotiate with the Republicans when they can't negotiate with themselves."

She tells CBS that Democrats agreed weeks ago to the GOP money figure for stopgap spending, but said Republicans have stalled since then.

Pelosi says to get the government up and fully running again, "it will take some coming together on the Republican side."

The California Democrat said the expiration of the government's borrowing authority is a frightening prospect, saying that "we have to find a path" but have not found the ability to do so.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved)

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