McCarthy makes plea for Republicans to back debt ceiling plan
CNN
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speaker Kevin McCarthy Asked House Republicans to support his proposal during a closed session Tuesday morning. debt ceiling plantelling them that while it doesn’t have to include everything they want, it will help to connect him with President Joe Biden.
McCarthy also told members he could push for other policy provisions once he gets to the table, according to multiple sources in the room, underscoring the leadership’s view that the Republican-only plan is purely to strengthen their hand. One way. at the negotiating table.
Top House Republicans have expressed confidence they will be able to unite the chamber behind a plan and move quickly to pass it. But this is far from certain. Key details of the plan have yet to be finalized, with some members expressing frustration with the current state of the proposal and the elements that have not yet been included.
House Rules Chairman Tom Cole told CNN that the Republican debt limit bill will be introduced in the House next week, but other House Republicans expressed doubts that the specific details of the proposal will be ironed out in time for a vote and timetable soon. May slip.
House Republicans insist that any increase in the debt ceiling must be paired with spending cuts, while the White House believes that the debt ceiling should be raised unconditionally. McCarthy hopes to pass a debt limit bill in the House to put pressure on the White House to come to the table for negotiations, even if the bill does not pass the Democratic-controlled Senate.
The closed-door meeting kicked off a tough push by Republican leaders, who secured 218 votes for proposals to raise the debt ceiling and reduce federal spending. McCarthy introduced his proposals to lawmakers, which include clawing back unspent Covid-19 funds, a 10-year spending cap, banning Biden’s student loan forgiveness and enacting a Republican energy bill.
Conservatives are pushing for more inclusion, while some say they would not support raising the debt limit under any circumstances, a sign of how challenging it will be for Republican leaders to unite the conference behind a proposal.
Republican Rep. Scott Perry, chairman of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, expressed frustration with the lack of concrete content from House Republican leaders on the debt ceiling and spending reduction plans.
“I had no idea what was in the package, and that’s the problem,” Perry told reporters. “I know what’s on the screen, but I don’t think that’s what it’s all about.”
Perry also said he disagrees with Republican leadership trying to pass a few bills now to get to the bargaining table with Democrats and then ask for more. Perry was one of several members who stood up during the closed session to advocate for further cuts.
Rep. Kevin Hern, chairman of the Republican Study Committee, told CNN that Republicans must agree on a debt ceiling plan or face a weaker position in any future negotiations with the White House.
“It’s about leadership. If we can’t lead, then we have a problem,” Hearn said.
Hearn said he has no problem with a vote as soon as next week and believes now is the time for Republicans to unite.
Republican Rep. Don Bacon said one of the issues they are still debating is how and how often to raise the debt ceiling, and whether it should be raised by a certain amount or by a certain date. Some members are pushing for a shorter rate hike, but Bacon said the hikes could extend into next year.
He also confirmed that some lawmakers are still pushing for more spending cuts and repeal, which some lawmakers advocated for during the session, but Bacon predicted that the 18 Republicans in Biden’s district would support it, as did he himself.
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz said conference talks on the debt ceiling are “getting closer” but there are still some details that need to be ironed out. He said he was not sure a vote on the budget deal could be held as early as next week.
“I think a lot depends on how the discussion goes today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow,” he said. “I think we still need to iron out a lot of very critical details before we can make a final decision on the vote, but it was a very productive discussion with a lot of good ideas,” although he said he would “if the bill were released today Text, I would be very surprised.
During the House Republican meeting, members of the House Freedom Caucus, including Reps. Perry, Chip Roy and Andrew Clyde, called for including more cuts, a source in the room told CNN measures and urged leadership to explain why certain provisions were not included.
That shows how difficult it will be for leaders, even as they see it as an opportunity to strengthen their influence with the White House.
One of the topics discussed during the Republican meeting was why some projects were not included in the debt ceiling framework.
For example, conservatives were frustrated that a measure to claw back IRS enforcement funds was not included. But a source in the room told CNN that it was not included because the Congressional Budget Office would view it as cost-prohibitive and that without executive funding, the Congressional Budget Office would view fewer taxes collected.
Republicans are trying to raise as much revenue as possible and cut spending from the bill.
