White House shoots down idea of device tax repeal in funding bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House would not agree to repealing a medical device tax as part of a stop-gap bill to continue funding the government past September 30, White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Thursday. The tax helps to fund President Barack Obama’s 2010 healthcare law and Republicans are trying to undermine the law. The White House also would reject the inclusion of a measure to approve TransCanada’s Keystone XL oil pipeline on a bill to raise the debt limit, Carney told reporters at a briefing. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton, Mark Felsenthal; Editing by Sandra Maler)