The Hill News

President Obama's political arm ramped up pressure on congressional Republicans to come to an agreement on government spending for the rest of this fiscal year.

While negotiations between Democrats and Republicans continue on Capitol Hill, Organizing for America, the president's political organization within the Democratic National Committee, made its first foray into the issue.

"The president is calling on both sides to come together, but it's up to us to show Republicans in Congress that we have his back," OFA Director Mitch Stewart wrote to supporters. "Stand with the President by signing your name today â€" and OFA volunteers will deliver your signatures to House Republicans and make sure your voice is not ignored."

The effort by OFA suggests that the White House and Democrats in Congress aren't about to accede completely to House Republicans' demands to cut as much as $61 billion in spending over the rest of this fiscal year.
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Republicans have already been active in promoting their votes so far to cut spending; House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) talked up lawmakers' vote to approve those cuts in a fundraising e-mail for the National Republican Congressional Committee last month.

The new political activity by OFA comes after lawmakers approved a two-week extension in funding that prevented a government shutdown on March 4. Lawmakers have until March 18 to reach an agreement, or they will face the prospect of another shutdown.

Obama's political arm emphasized the shrinking timeframe for an agreement, calling next Friday's deadline "a critical moment that could quickly become a crisis."

"Over the next 1! 1 days, the President will ask Republicans to make a choice: S! et aside party politics â€" or risk nearly 1 million American jobs," Stewart wrote.