WASHINGTON--President Barack Obama will meet with the four congressional leaders on Friday as Congress on Thursday was poised to miss the Dec. 31 fiscal cliff deadline.

The White House meeting is with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio); House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.); Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nv.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

Getting to a deal will be difficult, even with the meeting. A spokesman for Boehner said, "Tomorrow, Speaker Boehner will attend a meeting with congressional leaders at the White House, where he will continue to stress that the House has already passed legislation to avert the entire fiscal cliff and now the Senate must act."

A spokesman for McConnell said, "Sen. McConnell has been invited to the White House tomorrow to further discuss the President's proposals on the fiscal cliff. He is eager to hear from the President."

The Senate is in session this week. House members were told Thursday to return to Washington by 6:30 p.m. Sunday night.