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Hours before a crucial vote, Republican leaders pleaded with their fractious rank and file Thursday to support a House plan to stave off an unprecedented government default. The vote would bring President Barack Obama and congressional leaders a step closer to endgame efforts before Tuesday's deadline.

An unexpected decrease in unemployment claims sent stocks slightly higher Thursday even as a stalemate continued in Washington over how to avoid a U.S. debt default.

The Senate's Democratic and Republican leaders traded blame for the debt standoff Thursday, as the House prepared to vote on the GOP's plan to raise the nation's borrowing limit before a Tuesday deadline.

Crisis concerns rising, House Republican leaders shrugged off a White House veto threat and an outbreak of tensions within their own party Wednesday as they built support for legislation to stave off the government default threatened for next week.

Despite his image as a button-down Republican, House Speaker John Boehner walked to the brink of a dramatic and historic agreement to change the government's spending habits.

Senate Democrats are telling Republicans controlling the House that there's no way they'll support a GOP plan to lift the federal debt limit that's emerging in the House.