House Republican lawmakers call bipartisan debt deal passage a win for Biden

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a bipartisan compromise on Wednesday, by a 314-117 vote, to avert a debt ceiling default and make some reductions to federal spending levels. While House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hailed the bill as “the biggest spending cut in American history,” several members of his own caucus slammed it as a victory for President Joe Biden and the Democrats.

“More Democrats (165) voted for the Biden-McCarthy debt limit deal than Republicans (149). Tells you everything you need to know… This is a win for Joe Biden: An uncapped debt ceiling increase to finance his agenda to Jan 2025 while leaving every one of his policies intact,” tweeted the House Freedom Caucus, a coalition of the most right-wing members of the House GOP.

The nation stands just days away from catastrophic default on its debt. In a May 26 letter to Congress, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned, “Based on the most recent available data, we now estimate that Treasury will have insufficient resources to satisfy the government’s obligations if Congress has not raised or suspended the debt limit by June 5.”

On Saturday, Biden and McCarthy (R-CA) agreed to suspend the debt limit until January 2025, to reduce the rate of growth for discretionary spending, to speed up the process for issuing permits for the energy infrastructure projects, and to extend work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to anyone up to age 54, while loosening those requirements for veterans and homeless people.

Forty-six House Democrats voted against the bill, citing what Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia called its cruel cuts to safety net programs and permitting provisions. But most Democrats who reacted to it publicly deemed it a good deal on balance.

McCarthy had reportedly promised that at least 150 members of his caucus would vote for the bill. He fell just short with 149 GOP votes, but the bill passed overwhelmingly after 165 House Democrats voted in favor of the deal.

Seventy-one House Republicans voted against their leader, and 29 voted against even bringing the bill up for a vote.

Several of those lawmakers openly accused McCarthy of making a bad deal and framed it as a win for Biden and the Democrats.

“Washington is broken. Republicans got outsmarted by a President who can’t find his pants,” South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace tweeted on Tuesday.

Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz complained that McCarthy “is giving a blank check” to Biden.

“They didn’t just steamroll us in negotiations. They’re laughing at the concessions that were made,” Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde tweeted, noting that the bill gives the Biden administration the authority to waive some of the spending restrictions. “NO Republican should vote for this nonsense.”

Florida Rep. Byron Donalds observed Wednesday that House Democrats had not held a press conference on the bill: “They seem perfectly happy with it. Because it keeps ALL of Biden’s policies & reckless spending in place.”

“More Democrats voted for the McCarthy-Biden plan than Republicans. Republicans didn’t win despite what House Leadership says. We got hosed,” Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs tweeted on Thursday.

After the vote, Bloomberg reporter Erik Wasson quoted Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) as saying, “Now we are allowed to say it: we rolled them.”

The bill now moves to the Senate, where speedy action will be required to get it to Biden’s desk before a potential Monday default. Both Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have endorsed quick passage of the bill.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.