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Congressional Democrats are anxious about a potential default on the national debt, but are sticking with President Biden in his refusal to negotiate with House Republicans on cutting spending in exchange for raising the debt ceiling.
On the day after House Republicans passed a plan to raise the nation’s borrowing limit and cut spending, Democratic lawmakers were not talking about possible compromise with the GOP. Democrats said the prospect of the government defaulting on its ability to pay interest on the more than $31 trillion national debt should not be taken lightly.
“I think we need to focus on the debt ceiling,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat. “There’s an urgency here that absolutely requires immediate attention.”
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, doubled down on his view that the GOP proposal is “dead on arrival” in the Senate and questioned House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s sincerity in wanting to negotiate.
“If anything, the House’s actions have made the likelihood of default more likely,” Mr. Schumer said. “It locks the House into an unacceptable position and pulls us even further apart.”
Mr. Blumenthal said there would be no harm in Mr. Biden beginning negotiations with House Republicans. But he said he is sticking with Mr. Schumer’s position that there should be no consideration of the House GOP bill.
“I think the president should sit down with Kevin McCarthy to talk about the debt ceiling,” said Mr. Blumenthal. “And then at some later point, talk about the budget. Senator Schumer is the master of legislative timing. I’m not about to advise him about when and how he should do it. But he has been absolutely steadfast and I totally agree with his position, which is we need to raise the debt ceiling.”
Sen. Mark Kelly said it was troubling that the country was already so close to default without a resolution.
“We can’t be defaulting on our debt,” said Mr. Kelly, Arizona Democrat. “To even get this close is not an option.”
Complicating matters is that lawmakers do not have a clear date by which Congress must raise the debt ceiling.
