Chairman of the Republican Main Street Caucus Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) said that Biden’s “delay tactics” in refusing to meet with Republicans on the debt ceiling crisis without a counteroffer “have put our country directly in harm’s way.”
The window of opportunity for the two sides to escape economic disaster is closing fast now that Republicans have embraced Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s June 1 X Date prognosis. President Joe Biden is leaving next Wednesday for a weeklong trip abroad.
The White House and Republican aides in Congress will meet over the weekend to discuss the debt ceiling and a possible budget compromise as the United States faces the threat of a default.
Johnson said that Republicans worked diligently to pass a plan that addresses our spending crisis and the debt limit; the President must consider their idea carefully.
The president has finally agreed to meet with the Republicans within the next 15 days after initially ignoring demands for a meeting for 100 days straight.
While some Republican staff members have expressed concern about the many people involved in negotiations, the administration has not communicated with them about passing a law through Congress.
During Friday’s briefing before the “big four” (McConnell, McCarthy, Schumer, and Jeffries) reconvenes “early next week,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre brushed off the use of the term “regret” when asked if the White House regrets its strategy with debt ceiling negotiation.
To lower discretionary spending on non-military expenditures by about $100 billion, conservatives have proposed spending caps, unused COVID-19 funds, and regulatory overhaul in light of the House GOP’s Limit, Save, Grow Act.
The White House has been harsher in its condemnation of McCarthy, while Schumer has sent a Dear Colleague letter encouraging Republicans to “take default off the table.”
The Republicans have reminded Biden that a clean debt ceiling measure is unlikely.
