House Speaker Kevin McCarthy took to the airwaves on Sunday to make the case for his debt limit deal with the White House to avoid default, as some conservatives bemoaned that the California Republican made concessions.
“That’s OK, because more than 95% of all those in the [Republican conference] were very excited,” Mr. McCarthy said on “Fox News Sunday.” “Think about this: We finally were able to cut spending.”
The agreement comes just days before the U.S. was set to officially run out of money and default on its debt, a move that experts have warned would bring widespread economic tribulation. The deal will raise the ceiling beyond the 2024 election.
Despite the promised spending reduction, conservatives like those in the House Freedom Caucus lamented that Mr. McCarthy backed off from steeper cuts included in legislation passed by House Republicans, while far-left Democrats griped that there was not a clean debt ceiling increase.
“There are members of the GOP claiming Democrats got nothing from the ‘deal.’ Oh really?” tweeted Rep. Chip Roy, Texas Republican. “An uncapped debt ceiling with an expiration date — worth approximately $4 trillion … ?”
Rep. Dan Bishop, North Carolina Republican, tweeted that “RINOs congratulating McCarthy for getting almost zippo in exchange for $4T debt ceiling hike was enough to make you” throw up.
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Still, Mr. McCarthy made the case that they are achieving the sort of cuts long sought by Republicans.
“There is so much in this that’s positive,” Mr. McCarthy said. “When Republicans had the presidency, the Senate and the House, did they ever cut spending? No, they increased it. We were able to do this when the president wasn’t even going to talk to us.”
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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