WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Monday welcomed signals by Republican leaders in the House of Representatives that they aim to pass a nearly four-month extension of the U.S. debt limit, saying the move would take away uncertainty over the issue.

White House spokesman Jay Carney told a briefing that the administration believed the debt limit should be raised over the longer term instead of in incremental steps, but the shift by Republicans was a positive sign.

President Barack Obama would not stand in the way of a short-term extension becoming law if it passed Congress, Carney said.

(Reporting by Mark Felsenthal and Jeff Mason; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)