Boehner warns of debt ceiling battle WASHINGTON, May 17 (UPI) -- President Obama should expect a debt ceiling fight unless he agrees to matching spending cuts, U.S. House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday. Boehner, at a news conference, said Obama has failed to take the lead on reining in the nation's debt and spending. "The largest tax hike in American history is scheduled for the end of this year, so are defense cuts that President Obama's secretary of defense has said will hollow out America's armed services," the Ohio Republican said. Listen, America's faced tough challenges before. And every time we've been able to meet them. We can do it again. But it will take a president willing to lead, or at least show up. Boehner accused Democrats of using "drama or brinkmanship" to push their agenda. "Our debt and our deficit act as a wet blanket over our economy," he said. The sooner we deal honestly with our long-term debt and our budget deficit, the sooner the skies begin to clear, more certainty comes, so that American employers can do what they do best, put Americans to work. Obama told congressional leaders Wednesday he will not allow a replay of last summer's debt-ceiling fight that nearly put the United States in default and resulted in a downgrade of the U.S. credit rating. The president said he expected a "serious bipartisan approach" to tackling the budget and growing federal deficit this year, White House spokesman Jay Carney said. Obama told congressional leaders he intended to ask Congress to raise the debt ceiling without offsetting the increase dollar for dollar. When the president told me yesterday that he wanted a clean increase in the debt limit, it almost took my breath away. We had this debate last year," Boehner said. "The White House wants to raise the debt limit without a single dime of spending cuts or reforms," he said.