Global Courant 2023-05-26 23:25:11
With a potential payment default just six days away, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy arrived at the Capitol on Friday and told reporters he remained optimistic despite no deal being close.
McCarthy said negotiators “made progress” overnight, but did not elaborate on the details of the framework discussed.
“And I’m going to work as hard as I can to get this done, make more progress today and get the job done,” the speaker told reporters. “I’m a total optimist.”
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But when asked if they could strike a deal today, McCarthy objected.
“Look, I’m going to work as hard as I can. Once we get a deal, we’ll get a deal, but it has to be worthy of the American people,” he said.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy speaks to reporters about negotiating the debt limit with the White House when he arrives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on May 26, 2023, before the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned that the US could default as early as June 1, 2023 if Congress fails to raise the debt limit.
Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA via Shutterstock
President Joe Biden also said on Thursday that progress is being made.
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“I have made it clear time and time again: defaulting on our national debt is not an option,” Biden said. He added that the negotiations with McCarthy are “about the outline of what the budget will look like, not default. It’s about competing visions for America.”
Although once a deal is reached, significant legislative hurdles remain to get it approved before June 1 — the date Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen claims the US will run out of money to pay all of its bills.
McCarthy promises to give members of the House of Representatives 72 hours to review the bill before it goes to a vote. If passed, it will go to the Senate, where it only takes one legislator to delay approval for up to a week.
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It is also about possible opposition from the wings of both sides. Several progressive Democrats have expressed frustration that too much ground can be conceded to the Republicans, with entire conservative hardliners with the House Freedom Caucus encouraging McCarthy to “stick” to their spending demands.
McCarthy appeared on Friday to defend the negotiations against growing discontent from his party’s far right.
“You’re talking to people who don’t know what’s in the deal,” he said when asked about House Freedom Caucus members urging him to drop negotiations altogether.
“So I’m not worried about anyone commenting at this point on what they think is or isn’t in it. If we come to an agreement, we’ll make sure we inform our entire conference first,” he added .
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy speaks to reporters about White House debt limit negotiations upon his arrival at the U.S. Capitol, May 26, 2023, in Washington, D.C.
Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA via Shutterstock
ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott has reported negotiators are eyeing a potential deal to raise the debt limit through 2024, increase defense spending and veterans spending for two years, while also reclaiming unused COVID-19 funds.
Top Republican negotiator Rep. Louisiana’s Garret Graves said work requirements were a major sticking point on Friday.
Graves left McCarthy’s office Friday afternoon, telling reporters that “we’re still not there” for a debt limit deal, though he said a deal remains “possible” over the weekend.
Chief among the hang-ups Graves outlined are job requirements for some federal programs. Republicans have repeatedly insisted that any deal include work requirements for able-bodied individuals ages 18 to 55 with no dependents.
“Democrats are willing to default on the debt right now so they can continue to do Social Security benefits for people who refuse to work,” Graves said. “I mean, if you’re really going to fall on the sword for that instead of actually negotiating something that changes the trajectory of the country for spending, I mean I think it’s crazy that we’re even having that debate.”
Asked if Republicans would consider scrapping job requirements, “Hell no. Hell no,” Graves said. “No chance.”
The parties are “still talking” about allowing reforms, he said.
Graves described Friday morning’s talks with White House negotiators as “candid.”
“There’s no doubt there are unresolved issues, we’re not there, but I think we’ve really identified where the biggest differences are,” Graves said. “We’ve made progress. I said two days ago that we’ve made some progress on some key issues, but I want to be clear that we still have major issues that we haven’t bridged the gap yet.”
