WASHINGTON (AP) — Administration and congressional officials say President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner spoke on the telephone early Tuesday evening. The conversation occurred after both sides exchanged new proposals on how to avoid looming fiscal cliff.

Obama and Boehner met Sunday at the White House. The White House then offered a new proposal lowering its proposed figure for tax revenue from $1.6 trillion to $1.4 trillion. Boehner offered a Republican counter proposal on Tuesday.

While Tuesday's phone conversation and the exchange of offers indicated stepped up activity, it was unclear whether the talks were resulting in real progress.