House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s has called the issue a « red line, » but several Democrats say it’s a nonstarter.
As Washington struggles to reach a debt ceiling deal with little more than a week until potential default, a key hangup in the negotiations is turning out to be — « work requirements. »
A long-sought effort by Republicans to impose stricter conditions on recipients of Medicaid and other federal assistance programs is now front-and-center in the debt ceiling standoff.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has described tougher work requirements as a « red line » in his ongoing negotiations with President Joe Biden to reduce federal spending in exchange for addressing the debt ceiling.
« We want to take people from poverty to jobs. It is only for people who are able-bodied with no dependents, » McCarthy told reporters Monday evening after he met with Biden at the White House.
« I don’t think it’s right that we borrow money from China to pay somebody who has no dependents, able-bodied to sit on a couch, » McCarthy added, using a line used by leading Republicans in recent days.
Several Democrats, however, have said the GOP’s proposed work requirements are a nonstarter.
Here’s what to know as talks continue.How much money would work requirements save?
As McCarthy digs in his heels on work requirements, an analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found the changes outlined in the Limit, Save, Grow Act would reduce federal spending by $120 billion over the next decade.
