As Default Deadline Nears, Congress Continues Debate Debt Ceiling Plan
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 31: Figures of Grief and History on the Peace Monument stand near the U.S. Capitol building July 31, 2011 in Washington, DC. As the United States approaches the possibility of a default, the congressional leaders and the White House try to reach an agreement on measures to lift the debt ceiling. (Photo by Astrid Riecken/Getty Images)