Blue Dogs urge both parties to work on budget as frustrations surface

As tensions grew on Monday, the Blue Dog Coalition urged congressional leaders and the White House to continue negotiations on a long-term budget plan to avoid a government shutdown. 

The fiscally conservative group of Democrats sent a letter to President Obama on Monday urging Democrats and Republicans to work together to wrap up this year's budget, while House GOP leaders expressed growing frustration over the process. 

"We believe that it is imperative that both Democrats and Republicans work together and make compromises to avoid a government shutdown," the Blue Dogs wrote. "Until we move beyond these monthly battles on discretionary spending — which represent less than 15 percent of the federal budget — we cannot have a more serious conversation about the structural issues that plague our nation’s fiscal health. 

Meanwhile, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday that Obama is scheduled to meet with congressional leaders on Tuesday, while a spokesman for Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said those discussions had yet to be scheduled. 

Boehner's press secretary would not confirm that the leadership meeting has been scheduled.

"The Speaker hopes to meet with the president to discuss the need to keep the government open while making real cuts in spending, and we're working with the White House to schedule that meeting," Boehner spokesman Michael Steel told The Hill.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) also are expected to be part of those talks to discuss proposed reductions in spending, with the Friday deadline to keep the government funded looming. 

Meanwhile, Rogers criticized Reid for failing to put forward a budget plan, saying that the majority leader "is attempting to abuse the budget process and limit the ability of appropriations negotiators to complete their work, dictating the use of gimmicks and phony accounting to sneak more spending through the Congress."

While progress has been made to reduce federal spending, Rogers said, "[W]e cannot and will not falter in our commitment to concrete spending cuts that will start the downward trajectory of federal budgets for years to come."

—Molly Hooper contributed to this report.