A sharply divided House Republican leadership struggled to reach agreement on a measure to avoid part of the so-called “fiscal cliff,” as key members said they could not support the compromise approved early Tuesday by the Senate.

In a closed-door meeting of Republican House members, Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the No. 2 Republican in the chamber, said he could not support the Senate-passed bill, according to two GOP lawmakers. Other Republicans said the bill would have to be amended and returned to the Senate.  

Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), chairman of the Financial Services Committee, emerged from the meeting saying he would "shocked" if House doesn't amend the bill this afternoon and send it back to Senate.

"We're building a consensus that we have to address spending," he said. "The president won his election; I also won my election.”

Such a plan would likely stall the bill for an indefinite period, as the Senate has gone into recess. The new Congress convenes on Thursday at noon. Further delays would be necessary if legislative action is not completed by then.