Republicans To Keep Cuts If Budget Talks Fail: Boehner

(Reuters) - Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives will pursue a stopgap government funding bill that keeps "sequester" automatic spending cuts in place if congressional negotiators fail to reach a budget deal, U.S. House Speaker John Boehner said on Thursday.

Boehner told reporters that he hopes budget talks led by Republican Representative Paul Ryan and Democratic Senator Patty Murray can produce a deal that sets spending levels for fiscal 2014.

"I'm hopeful, but if not, the House will be prepared to move" a 2014 spending bill at levels specified by the Budget Control Act, Boehner said.

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