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McCarthy makes plea for Republicans to back debt ceiling plan
Speaker Kevin McCarthy made a plea to House Republicans during a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning to back his debt ceiling plan, telling them that although it doesn't have to include everything they want, it will help get him to the.
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UNITED STATES: Speaker Kevin McCarthy made a plea to House Republicans during a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning to back his debt ceiling plan , telling them that although it doesn't have to include everything they want, it will help get him to the negotiating table with President Joe Biden.
McCarthy also told members that once he is at the table, he can push for other policy provisions down the road, according to multiple sources in the room, underscoring the idea that leadership sees the GOP-only plan as purely a way to strengthen their hand at the negotiating table.
Top House Republicans are projecting confidence that they will be able to unite the conference behind a plan and move quickly to pass it. But that is far from certain. Key details of the plan are still yet to be finalized and some members are expressing frustration over the proposal as it stands, and elements that have not been included.
House Rules Chairman Tom Cole told CNN the GOP debt limit bill will be on the House floor next week, but other House Republicans have signaled skepticism over whether specifics of the proposal can be ironed out in time for a vote to happen that soon and the timeframe may slip.
House Republicans are insisting that any increase in the debt limit must be paired with spending cuts, while the White House argues that the limit should be raised without any conditions. McCarthy wants to move a debt limit bill through the House as a way to put pressure on the White House to come to the table for negotiation, even if the bill won't pass the Democratic-controlled Senate.
The closed-door meeting kicks off a difficult push by GOP leaders to wrangle 218 votes for a proposal to raise the debt ceiling and reduce federal spending. McCarthy walked members through his proposal, which includes clawing back unspent Covid-19 funds, 10-year caps on spending, prohibiting Biden's student loan forgiveness and enacting a GOP energy bill.
Conservatives are pushing for more to be included while some have said they won't back a debt ceiling hike under any circumstances, illustrating how challenging it is going to be for GOP leaders to unite the conference behind a proposal.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy made a plea to House Republicans during a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning to back his debt ceiling plan, telling them that although it doesn't have to include everything they want, it will help get him to the negotiating table with President Joe Biden.