- The Washington Times - Monday, April 17, 2023

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called on President Biden to start negotiating with Republicans on a deal to raise the debt ceiling, addressing the Senate for the first since suffering a concussion in a fall six weeks ago.

Mr. McConnell didn’t dwell on his absence and immediately turned his focus to the stalled debt ceiling talks, blaming the Democrat in the White House. 

“President Biden does not get to stick his fingers in his ears and refuse to listen, talk or negotiate,” the Kentucky Republican said. “The American people know that. The White House needs to stop wasting time and start negotiating with the speaker of the House.”

In addition to criticizing the president, Mr. McConnell, 81, took a jab at himself over his March 9 fall at the Waldorf Astoria in D.C., which landed him in the hospital and later in a rehab facility. 

“Suffice it to say, it isn’t the first time that being hard-headed has served me very well,” Mr. McConnell said. “We are truly lucky and blessed to get to serve in this remarkable institution representing our home state and serving our country. I’m very happy to be back.”

Mr. McConnell called on Mr. Biden to hold talks with Republicans hours after Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, pledged a House vote on a GOP plan to raise the debt ceiling in the coming weeks. 

Mr. Biden has so far refused to hold negotiations with Mr. McCarthy and a GOP-passed plan would increase pressure on the president to work on a bipartisan deal.

Democrats have rejected the House GOP proposal to raise the debt limit for one year, roll back non-defense spending to 2022 levels, cap annual budget growth at 1% over the next decade and impose new work requirements for social welfare programs.

“Speaker McCarthy continues to bumble our country towards a catastrophic default, which would cause the economy to crash, cause monumental job loss and drastically raise costs to the American people,”  said Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat. “If Speaker McCarthy continues in this direction, we are headed to default.”

The Treasury Department has warned it will run out of money to pay the nation’s bills as early as June unless Congress provides more borrowing authority. 

Mr. McConnell said Mr. Biden’s strategy of refusing to negotiate is “extreme” and “not even holding up in their own party.”

• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.

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