McCarthy slams Biden’s 14th Amendment plan to bypass debt limit.

House Speaker Criticizes Biden’s Plan to Invoke 14th Amendment to Override Debt Ceiling

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has criticized President Joe Biden’s plan to use the 14th Amendment to override the debt ceiling and avoid a possible default. The two politicians recently met but failed to make any breakthrough on the debt limit standoff.

Biden Considers 14th Amendment as Last-Ditch Option

Biden confirmed on Tuesday that he is considering using the 14th Amendment as a last-ditch option to work around the $31.4 trillion debt limit if negotiations on lifting the borrowing cap fall through. The amendment would declare the debt ceiling unconstitutional, but it’s an untested legal theory around which experts disagree. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently warned that it would spark a “constitutional crisis.”

McCarthy Argues Against Biden’s Plan

McCarthy argued that Biden’s plan would represent a failure to work across the aisle on an issue of key importance to Americans. He believes that the president should work with people across sides of the aisle or his own party to get something done.

Debt Ceiling Deadlock Continues

Biden and the Democrats have insisted on legislation with no preconditions to raise the debt ceiling, while McCarthy and the Republicans have demanded spending cuts in exchange for their support to lift the borrowing cap. House Republicans have put forward a proposal that pairs raising the debt cap by $1.5 trillion with $4.5 trillion in spending cuts over a decade.

X-Date Approaches

The United States reached the $31.4 trillion debt cap in January, and the Treasury Department started resorting to so-called “extraordinary measures” to keep making payments on outstanding federal debt obligations and keep the government from defaulting. The X-date, when the government will be unable to meet its financial obligations, could come as early as June 1, according to Yellen.

Government Workers Sue Biden and Yellen

The National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) has sued Biden and Yellen, arguing that it would be unconstitutional for the administration to prioritize payments on Treasuries over employee salaries. The debt limit law adopted over a century ago goes against the Constitution’s separation of powers by forcing the president to cut spending already approved by Congress, according to NAGE.

• Biden considers using 14th Amendment to override debt ceiling
• McCarthy criticizes Biden’s plan and calls for bipartisan cooperation
• Debt ceiling deadlock continues with Democrats insisting on legislation with no preconditions and Republicans demanding spending cuts
• X-date approaches as the government resorts to “extraordinary measures” to avoid defaulting on its debt obligations
• NAGE sues Biden and Yellen, arguing that prioritizing payments on Treasuries over employee salaries is unconstitutional