As the United States approaches its debt limit, two House Democrats have called on President Joe Biden to negotiate with Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on the debt ceiling issue.
House Democrats Want Biden to Negotiate Debt Ceiling with McCarthy After GOP-Led Bill Passed… https://t.co/6ivkrOrCfX
— GOP News (@GOPNewsGOP) April 30, 2023
Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) and Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) are urging Biden to compromise with the Republicans and reach a deal on raising the debt ceiling.
The call comes after House Republicans passed a bill that raises the debt limit. For the two congressmen, the passage of the bill makes it the perfect time for the president to reach out for a compromise with the GOP.
“You’ve been asking them to pass something – so it’s time to sit down and talk,” he said in a CNN interview, as he went ahead to describe the situation as “semantics.”
“We got one camp that they want to talk about spending — and they want to do that before they agree to raise the debt ceiling. We have got another camp that says they are willing to sit down and talk about spending after we deal with a debt limit,” he explained.
Moskowitz also shared the same sentiment, stating that Biden’s unwillingness to negotiate with the Speaker is “unsustainable.”
“In D.C., we should always be talking. We should never say… we’re not going to speak to folks across the aisle,” he stated.
Biden has refused the idea of a meeting with McCarthy in order to be filled in on the House GOP’s plans as his administration tries to determine the next line of action regarding the debt ceiling. There are fears that the president’s reluctance could leave the U.S. with an “economic catastrophe,” as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warns that time is of the essence.
The country is getting closer to its debt limit and is expected to hit it as early as this summer. The bill House Republicans passed on Wednesday — the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 — seeks to solve the problem by increasing the limit by $1.5 trillion. The legislation is also aimed at solving the problem of America’s national deficit, as it is expected to save the government approximately $4.8 trillion over the next decade.
However, the White House has derided the efforts as “a reckless attempt to extract extreme concessions as a condition for the United States simply paying the bills it has already incurred.” According to a White House statement, Biden will veto the bill if it passes the Senate and gets to his desk.
Beyond the House, the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 is garnering support in the Senate. Earlier this month, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) also called for a sit-down with McCarthy, emphasizing the importance of quick action.
“The clock is ticking on this debt ceiling crisis, and the American people will pay the economic price if President Biden continues to refuse to sit down and negotiate a commonsense compromise that would prevent a historic default,” he said.
