House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) defended the tentative agreement on the debt ceiling he made with President Joe Biden during a press conference Sunday after criticism from some Republicans on the concessions, saying the deal is “worthy of the American people.”
The “agreement in principle” that McCarthy and Biden reached on Saturday — just days before a potential default — has been criticized by Republicans in the House Freedom Caucus. While conceding the GOP didn’t get everything they asked for, McCarthy argued on “Fox News Sunday” that the deal is a “step in the right direction.”
“The Democrats’ reckless spending is unsustainable and irresponsible,” McCarthy tweeted Sunday morning. “So we are changing how Washington operates by shutting down Biden’s COVID slush funds, blocking his new tax proposals, and ending the out-of-control spending that is driving up inflation.”
The Democrats' reckless spending is unsustainable and irresponsible. So we are changing how Washington operates by shutting down Biden's COVID slush funds, blocking his new tax proposals, and ending the out-of-control spending that is driving up inflation https://t.co/AGVDlh884L
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) May 28, 2023
“We know at any time when you sit and negotiate within two parties, that you got to work with both sides of the aisle,” McCarthy said in a press conference Sunday morning. “So, it’s not 100% what everybody wants, but when you look, the country is going to be stronger. This is going to be transformational where Congress is literally going to vote to spend less money this year than we spent last year.”
McCarthy touted the deal’s reforms, including cutting red tape and protections for the military and veterans. Despite pushback from some Republicans, McCarthy said “95%” of the party was “overwhelmingly excited” about what was in the deal, and he expects GOP politicians to support it.
McCarthy said his team worked with Biden’s advisors throughout the night and said he would have a call with the president Sunday afternoon to finalize the language. In a statement, Biden said, “The agreement represents a compromise, which means not everyone gets what they want. That’s the responsibility of governing.”
“This is a good, strong bill that the majority of Republicans will vote for,” the Speaker said.
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) tweeted his dissatisfaction with the agreement Saturday, saying he was a “hard pass.”
“A $4 trillion debt ceiling increase? With virtually none of the key fiscally responsible policies passed in the Limit, Save, Grow Act kept intact?” Clyde tweeted, urging conservatives to “hold the line.”
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Similarly, Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) criticized the deal, calling it a “surrender.”
“The bottom line is that the U.S. will have $35 trillion of debt in January, 2025. That is completely unacceptable,” Buck said.
When asked if he was worried about a motion to oust him from the Speaker role — which can begin with a single member, a concession McCarthy made during his bid for the position — he said, “Not at all.”
The bill will sit for 72 hours for public review. McCarthy said the House will vote on Wednesday. The Speaker added that the bill has a lot for “both sides.”
