Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell expressed optimism Tuesday that the White House and House Republicans would reach an agreement to avoid defaulting on the nation’s debt, despite an early June deadline approaching with no deal in sight.
The Kentucky Republican, speaking with reporters in his home state, is not directly involved in the talks in Washington but said, “Everybody needs to relax.”
“Regardless of what may be said about the talks on a day-to-day basis, the president and the speaker will reach an agreement. It will ultimately be passed on a bipartisan vote in both the House and the Senate,” Mr. McConnell said. “The country will not default.”
The negotiations between White House aides and top House Republicans, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have just days to produce an agreement that meets the GOP’s demands for budget cuts but that keeps most Democrats on board. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reiterated Monday that the U.S. could default as soon as June 1 unless the debt limit is raised beyond its current $31.8 trillion as both sides say they are nowhere near a deal.
Mr. McCarthy, California Republican, is facing pressure from his right flank to not compromise. Conservatives from the House Freedom Caucus implored him during a closed-door GOP conference meeting Tuesday morning to “hold the line” on debt limit legislation passed by House Republicans last month.
Rep. Chip Roy argued that Republicans were not winning in the current talks, according to a source in the room.
This “shouldn’t be about a deal; it should be about saving the country,” the Texas Republican said.
Republicans have also questioned the accuracy of Ms. Yellen’s June 1 deadline.
President Biden, meanwhile, is facing pressure from his left flank not to give in to spending cut demands and instead invoke the 14th Amendment to unilaterally raise the debt ceiling without Congress.
Mr. McConnell argued that if history is any indication, all the hand-wringing from Democrats over slashing the budget will ultimately be resolved without the U.S. going over a fiscal cliff.
“The last 10 times — the last 10 times — we raised the debt ceiling, there were things attached to it. This is not that unusual,” he said. “It is almost entirely required when you have divided government.”
• Haris Alic contributed to this story.
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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