Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California threatened to cancel the House’s Memorial Day recess if Congress cannot pass a debt ceiling increase by Thursday.
“We’re gonna stay and do our job,” McCarthy told reporters on Monday at the Capitol. “You know the difference here is, when Republicans took over, we no longer have this proxy voting. I believe it’s more productive. If the voters vote for you and lend the voice to you, you should be here to provide that voice. Whether you’re with me or against me, I think the voices need to be here.”
The House is scheduled to begin a six-day recess on Friday, May 26, while Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has repeatedly warned that the federal government will breach the debt limit on Thursday, June 1. The Senate began its Memorial Day recess on Monday, May 22, although Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has already warned members that they should prepare to return to Washington for a debt ceiling vote count at any time.
I asked @SpeakerMcCarthy if it’s possible to call off some or all of the House’s recess next week if debt limit agreement isn’t reached.
“Oh yeah. We’re gonna stay and do our job,” he said pic.twitter.com/Bqd3yaMq29
— Liz Elkind (@liz_elkind) May 22, 2023
“The House Republicans are the only people who have lifted the debt ceiling. The House Republicans are the only ones who have passed a plan. The Senate has done nothing. So how do you negotiate in a way the government is designed, the House is supposed to pass something, the Senate is supposed to pass something, and the Senate doesn’t do their job?” McCarthy continued.
The House passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act in late April, which would raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion or through the end of March 2024. The legislation includes increased work requirements for some welfare recipients, as well as permitting reform. While Democrats have called for Congress to raise the debt ceiling without spending cuts or other reforms, 43 Senate Republicans, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, have announced their opposition to such a move.
Amid negotiations between McCarthy’s team and the White House, some Senate Democrats are calling on President Joe Biden to attempt to unilaterally raise the debt ceiling by invoking a portion of the 14th Amendment. Such a move would likely be unconstitutional. (RELATED: Democrats Call On Biden To Raise Debt Ceiling Without Congress)
McCarthy added that negotiations were “productive in a sense” because “we got the teams back together working.” McCarthy, Louisiana Rep. Garret Graves and North Carolina Rep. Patrick McHenry negotiated for House Republicans over the weekend, while Office of Management and Budget director Shalanda Young, White House Legislative Affairs chief Louisa Terrell and Counselor to the President Steve Ricchetti represented Biden.