House Republican leaders have failed to round up enough support for a measure to raise the debt ceiling.

The leaders spent much of Thursday trying to persuade numerous Republicans to support a bill drawn up by Speaker John Boehner. They halted consideration of the bill just as debate was ending in an effort to find more votes for it.

Democratic leaders had said no one in their party intended to support the measure.

The decision created fresh turmoil as divided government struggled to head off an unprecedented default that would leave the Treasury without the funds needed to pay all its bills. Administration officials say Tuesday is the deadline for Congress to act.