Krysten Sinema joins debt negotiations as conversation comes down to the wire

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) is a late addition to the debate in Congress regarding the debt ceiling. There are less than two weeks left for Congress and the White House to come to a deal.

Sinema, a former Democrat until late last year, could use her status as an independent lawmaker to help the GOP and Democrats reach a middle ground and come to a deal ahead of the June 5 deadline. Currently, negotiations between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and President Joe Biden have not yet come to an agreeable solution, according to Axios.

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On Friday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told McCarthy in a letter that the “most recent data available” has led her to revise the debt ceiling deadline slightly, delaying it from June 1 to the new date of June 5. The delay provides McCarthy and the White House with a few extra days of breathing room to reach a deal.

Republicans and Democrats are divided over what should be achieved in the debt ceiling deal, with Republicans wanting to make changes to the National Environmental Policy Act. Democrats, on the other hand, are trying to make it easier for solar and wind farms to access transmission lines in the debt ceiling deal.

“We’re within the window for which we meet the June 5 deadline,” said Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC). “It’s not over. We’re not done.”

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The president and the house speaker will need to create a plan that will garner a coalition of 218 votes in the 435-member House of Representatives. The deal and vote will need to happen before the June 5 deadline.

Biden claimed on Friday night that “things are looking good” regarding potentially reaching a deal, adding that he is “very optimistic.”