Capitol Hill budget talks remain at an impasse as Republicans and Democrats push competing bills to raise the federal debt ceiling. House Republicans have now delayed a vote on their measure after a congressional study found it would save far less than the $1.2 trillion publicly claimed. The Congressional Budget Office says the plan would save $850 billion over the next decade, which would fall short of House Speaker John Boehner’s vow to match any debt-ceiling hike to an equal number in budget cuts. On Tuesday, Boehner continued to blame Democrats for the standoff, while Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell sounded a more conciliatory tone.

House Speaker John Boehner: “I think I made it pretty clear last night, the President’s looking for a blank check. We have a bill that is a reasonable approach, negotiated with the Senate leadership, that really is commonsense. There’s more cuts in spending than you have an increase in the debt limit.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell: “We’re going to have to get back together and get a solution here. We cannot get a perfect solution, from my point of view, controlling only the House of Representatives, so I’m prepared to accept something less than perfect, because perfect is not achievable.”

Democrats have vowed to defeat Boehner’s proposal. On Tuesday, White House spokesperson Jay Carney and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the Republican bill would be dead on arrival in the Senate.

White House spokesperson Jay Carney: “The Speaker’s proposal cannot pass the Senate, will not pass the Senate, will not reach the President’s desk. I mean, this is the problem we have, is that we need Congress to produce something that is a compromise and that therefore can get support from Democrats and Republicans in both houses and reach the President’s desk and meet the President’s approval.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: “The Senate plan is the only real compromise we have in Congress today, and it’s the best shot we have to avoiding an economic crisis a week from today. The rating agency S&P said that our plan would avoid a downgrading of our credit rating, and, conversely, Speaker Boehner’s plan would cause a downgrading.”