McConnell gets his wish: Less involvement in debt ceiling talks.

McConnell’s Advice on Debt Ceiling Negotiations Finally Received by Biden

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has been urging Senate Republicans to leave negotiations over the debt ceiling to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and President Joe Biden since January. Finally, it appears that the Kentucky Republican’s message has been received.

After Biden met with McCarthy and top congressional leaders on Tuesday, negotiations appeared to be moving forward. White House officials are now working directly with members of the speaker’s team in an attempt to reach an agreement. This puts McConnell, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) on the bench. McCarthy endorsed the bilateral structure and said it could help the process move forward.

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“He’s finally taking Leader McConnell’s advice, the same advice he gave to President Trump and worked out, the same advice to President Obama and others – appoint somebody from the president’s team who can work with the speaker’s team to see if they can come to an agreement,” McCarthy said during a press conference outside the White House on Tuesday.

“So, the structure of how we negotiate has improved. It now gives you a better opportunity, even though we only have a few days to get it done,” McCarthy added.

McConnell said appointing new negotiators to find a debt ceiling solution is not uncommon.

“The president agreed to designate somebody to be the lead, as I recommended that President Trump do in 2019. He faced the same situation,” McConnell explained following the meeting on Tuesday. “Do you think he wanted to negotiate with Speaker Pelosi? Of course not! I said you have no choice.”

McConnell emphasized the way to make progress is by keeping the talks more focused between the White House and the speaker’s office.

“This is the way to get an outcome. This has always been a two-way deal. Always. It’s a shame it took this long,” he said.

While McConnell cut a deal with Senate Democrats that allowed them to raise the debt limit in 2021 and negotiated another to end the standoff in 2011, he continues to emphasize that he will not be playing that same role again.

What’s at Stake?

Congress has less than three weeks to act or risk default, which could ultimately cause the country to go into a recession. The United States has been using “extraordinary measures” to pay the bills after hitting the borrowing limit back in January.

Republicans in both chambers of Congress continue to assert they won’t pass a debt ceiling increase unless they have an agreement with the White House on budget cuts, arguing that reduced spending is needed to curb inflation. Democrats continue to refuse to attach conditions to raising the debt limit.

Key Takeaways:

• McConnell’s advice on debt ceiling negotiations has finally been received by Biden.
• White House officials are now working directly with members of the speaker’s team in an attempt to reach an agreement.
• Congress has less than three weeks to act or risk default, which could ultimately cause the country to go into a recession.
• Republicans in both chambers of Congress continue to assert they won’t pass a debt ceiling increase unless they have an agreement with the White House on budget cuts.
• Democrats continue to refuse to attach conditions to raising the debt limit.

Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.

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