51.   It noted, however, the sale was contingent on congressional extension of the debt ceiling.

52.   It will take more than an agreement on lifting the debt ceiling to give the dollar a sustained boost, Weir said.

53.   Key to the strategy will be the inclusion of a hike in the federal debt ceiling, without which the federal government will be unable to pay its bills.

54.   Lawmakers also wanted to change a debt ceiling that ties borrowing by cities to property taxes.

55.   Lawmakers have long played politics with the arcane issue of the debt ceiling.

56.   McCurry said the president wants a clean extension of the debt ceiling with no conditions.

57.   Others, however, have turned their attention to an effort to attach a smaller package of short-term cuts to legislation raising and extending the federal debt ceiling.

58.   President Bill Clinton is locked in a dispute with Congress over the U.S. debt ceiling.

59.   President Clinton and congressional leaders met Wednesday to negotiate such an increase in the debt ceiling, but no agreement was reached.