Majority Leader Schumer and Democratic Leader Jeffries made it clear that Democrats aren’t budging on their demand for a clean debt limit bill
Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries said in a joint statement on the upcoming debt limit as provided to PoliticusUSA:
We do not have the luxury of waiting until June 1 to come together, pass a clean bill to avoid a default and prevent catastrophic consequences for our economy and millions of American families. Republicans cannot allow right-wing extremism to hold our nation hostage.
For generations, Congress has made spending and revenue decisions as part of the annual budget process, which is currently underway. That is the appropriate place to debate and discuss our nation’s fiscal picture – not in a hostage-situation in which extreme MAGA Republicans try to impose their radical agenda on America. It’s time to put aside partisan interests and do what is right and necessary for the American people to avoid a first-ever U.S. government default that crashes the stock market, raises costs on families, and jeopardizes retirement savings.”
It doesn’t matter if the debt limit is tomorrow. Democrats have held firm. The deal that will probably be done is that Republicans will pass a clean debt limit increase, and the Democrats will agree to budget negotiations.
There are some valid areas for discussion about the budget, but those discussions should not take place with the nation’s economy held hostage.
Democrats keep saying that they won’t negotiate budget items until the debt limit is addressed in a clean way.
House and Senate Democrats aren’t going to mix the two because that only enables more hostage-taking.
Biden, Schumer, and Jeffries can meet with McCarthy McConnell, but the message of the meeting should be no conversations on spending until the debt limit is raised.