The deal struck earlier this month to cut deficits and avert a U.S. debt default has helped brighten the country's fiscal outlook, the White House said on Wednesday. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said a report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) showed there had been improvement and also validated U.S. President Barack Obama's view that more long-term deficit-cutting was needed. “It does indicate that some progress has been made based on the deal that Republicans and Democrats struck earlier this month,” Earnest told reporters. “The report also makes it clear that there is a lot more that we have to do.” -- SPA
