Obama to press lawmakers to hit deadline on fiscal cliff

By Amie Parnes - 12/31/12 01:59 PM ET

President Obama will deliver remarks on the "fiscal cliff" at the White House on Monday afternoon as time runs out to reach a deal before the year ends.

Obama will call on lawmakers to pass legislation to avoid the fiscal crisis in an event before middle-class Americans, according to the White House.

The president has repeatedly used the bully pulpit to urge lawmakers to move forward, most recently from the White House press briefing room on Friday following a meeting with congressional leaders, and in a Sunday appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Obama earlier in December held campaign-styled events to exert public pressure on Republicans.

White House aides say Obama has closely monitored the negotiations, calling Congressional leaders throughout the weekend. Vice President Biden has played a major role in possible end-game talks with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

In the “Meet the Press” interview, Obama said the “pressure is on Congress” to reach a compromise and resolve the fiscal cliff. He blamed Republicans for the stalemate.

“So far, at least, Congress has not been able to get this stuff done,” Obama said in the interview. “Not because Democrats in Congress don't want to go ahead and cooperate, but because I think it's been very hard for Speaker Boehner and Republican Leader McConnell to accept the fact that taxes on the wealthiest Americans should go up a little bit, as part of an overall deficit reduction package.”