WASHINGTON -- House Speaker John Boehner says any deal to avert the so-called fiscal cliff should include lower tax rates, eliminating special interest loopholes and revising the tax code.

Speaking to reporters Friday, the Ohio Republican insisted that changing the tax code and making it more efficient would lead to greater revenue for the government.

Boehner said he had a brief conversation with President Barack Obama earlier this week as the chief executive and congressional leaders negotiate a way to avoid a fiscal cliff that economists say would plunge the nation into another recession.

Boehner also indicated that raising the debt limit that the government will reach sometime in the spring should be part of any negotiations.