Republican Lawmakers Denounce Kevin McCarthy’s US Debt Ceiling Deal with Joe Biden 

Key Takeaways:

• Republican lawmakers have opposed Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s deal with President Biden.
• Over the weekend, McCarthy and Biden agreed to a tentative deal to increase the US Debt ceiling.
• McCarthy relied on the support of Democratic lawmakers to pass the bill in the US Congress.

YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — The recent debt ceiling deal between US President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has sparked dissatisfaction among many Republicans, highlighting a growing rift within the party. 

The agreement, which the sides reached after intense negotiations, aims to avert a potentially disastrous default on the nation’s debt obligations.

However, some Republicans have voiced their concerns regarding the deal. According to them, it falls short of addressing their key demands from the Biden Administration. 

Republican Congressman Ken Buck, who represents Colorado’s 4th congressional district, called the deal “completely unacceptable.”

His colleague from Virginia, Congressman Bob Good, was not kind to McCarthy either. Slamming the speaker, he called upon fellow party members to vote against the bill. 

“I am hearing the “deal” is for a $4 trillion increase in the debt limit. IF that is true, I don’t need to hear anything else. No one claiming to be a conservative could justify a YES vote,” 

he wrote. 

Calling the debt ceiling deal an “insanity,” Ralph Norman, the South Carolina Republican, alleged it would bankrupt the country. Subsequently, he vowed not to vote in its favor despite calls from party leader McCarthy. 

Such sentiments have been echoed by Other GOP members, revealing a lack of consensus on the matter. A central point of contention revolves around the absence of substantial spending reductions in the deal.

The US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had warned on several occasions that the Government would run out of money by early June. She had written several letters to Congress to prevent a default, urging them to either raise the debt ceiling or abolish it completely.

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Kevin McCarthy is confident that the bill will pass 

Despite the discontent from party members, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is confident that the bill will pass in Congress. 

Presenting his tentative agreement with President Biden as “a good bill for the American public,” McCarthy assured that over 95% of Republican lawmakers are “very excited” about it. 

“Maybe it doesn’t do everything for everyone. But this is a step in the right direction that no one thought we would be at today,” 

he told Fox News on May 28.

Meanwhile, Rep. Dusty Johnson criticized his colleagues from the Freedom Caucus for opposing the bill. The group had also opposed the nomination of Kevin McCarthy to the speaker’s post earlier this year. As a result, the House failed to elect him in the first attempt. 

Dusty Johnson is McCarthy’s chief negotiator with Democrats on the debt ceiling crisis. 

“When we say conservatives are against it, I want to make it clear, I don’t know a single one of the mainstream caucus conservatives… Some of those guys you mentioned didn’t vote for the thing when it was kind of a Republican wish list,” 

he slammed, after calling the deal “fantastic”. 

Kevin McCarthy must now convince his party colleagues to vote for the measure. The last bill to increase the debt ceiling passed with a narrow 217 votes for and 215 against. Four Republicans broke ranks with the party and voted against the bill. 

It seems Republicans will have to crack the whip against colleagues. Alternatively, they will have to rely on support from Democrats to prevent a looming devastating default.