The White House issued a stern response to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) call for restarting debt ceiling talks on Tuesday, emphasizing that it is time for Republicans to stop playing games and pass a clean bill. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that President Joe Biden “welcomes a separate conversation about our nation’s fiscal future,” however McCarthy’s letter had warned of the dire consequences of failing to act before the current limit is reached in June.
McCarthy suggested beginning negotiations with areas such as reducing non-defense spending, reclaiming unused COVID relief funds, and strengthening work requirements for those without dependents who can work. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had already notified Congress that extraordinary measures would be needed to stay under the $31.381 trillion statutory limit, but the White House has thus far refused to move without a proposed budget from the GOP.
Jean-Pierre noted that while Republicans are unwilling to introduce their own budget proposal, they have instead presented cuts in law enforcement and border security while also proposing measures which would include taking health care away from Americans and raising costs for families when it comes to healthcare and child care expenses — all without truly reducing the deficit. She concluded her statement by stressing that Democrats are ready to negotiate a deal on the debt ceiling in good faith if Republicans put forth their own plan.
After noting Congress “has a constitutional obligation to address the debt limit – as they did three times in the previous administration without conditions,” Jean-Pierre said Biden “welcomes a separate conversation about our nation’s fiscal future.”
“Earlier this month, he released a budget that cuts the deficit by nearly $3 trillion while lowering costs for families and investing in America. Speaker McCarthy and his extreme MAGA caucus have refused to put out a budget,” Jean-Pierre said.
“All we’ve heard from them is a list of devastating cuts to law enforcement and border security and proposals to take health care away from Americans and raise health care and child care costs,” she added. “All to pay for their tax giveaway to the super-wealthy and corporations. In fact, their proposals don’t reduce the deficit at all.”
Sources: Daily Wire