Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky cut themselves out of the negotiating process early on, saying it should be a negotiation between the White House and McCarthy. But most senators remained quiet on the deal as they waited for the full text and to see if McCarthy can navigate it through the House. The White House briefed Democratic senators Sunday and McCarthy briefed Republicans. If passed, it will then head to the Democratic-led Senate where leaders will have to get agreement from all 100 members to speed up the process and avert a default by next Monday. McCarthy has said the House will vote on the package Wednesday. Garret Graves, a McCarthy ally who was one of the negotiators, said the bill brings “transformational changes into the permitting and environmental review process” for the first time in four decades. Republicans had hoped for a much broader permitting package that would make it easier to build and develop energy projects. The bill also would amend the National Environmental Policy Act and designate “a single lead agency” to develop environmental reviews, in hopes of streamlining the process. But Republicans made clear that pushing more people to work in exchange for government benefits was a major victory for them, even if mostly symbolic. And a provision pushed by Biden would take some vulnerable recipients - like veterans and the homeless - off work requirements entirely. The new work requirements for able-bodied SNAP recipients without dependents would phase in by 2025 and expire by 2030. It would also create a new agency to develop and streamline environmental reviews that Republicans have complained about for decades. The bill would raise the age limit for existing work requirements in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, or SNAP. Republicans were able to win some policy changes they have sought for years, however modest, including on food aid. The New Democrat Coalition, which has roughly 100 members, praised Biden as having negotiated “a viable, bipartisan solution to end this crisis.” Many progressive members in the House have appeared skeptical of the deal, but they remained mostly quiet over the weekend.īut the deal won early praise from another key Democratic group. Now he will have to sell it to House Democrats, who must vote for it in big enough numbers to make up for defecting Republicans. “Sure, yeah,” Biden said, chuckling slightly. Dan Bishop of North Carolina tweeted a vomit emoji, complaining that some Republicans on the call were praising the speaker for getting what he said is “almost zippo in exchange” for the debt-ceiling hike. In a conference call on Saturday night, McCarthy said, more than 95 percent of the members in his conference “were overwhelmingly excited about what they see.”īut some House Republicans were publicly slamming the deal, arguing it did too little to cut the deficit. He said Sunday that he will win a majority of Republicans on the bill and some Democrats. Through it all, the Californian has exhibited his typical laid-back vibe, projecting confidence about the bill and its success. And he could still find himself in the middle of a crisis if too many in his caucus revolt when the House votes on the package this week. Known more for strategy than policy, McCarthy has had a challenge that seemed almost insurmountable, with a narrow majority and a sizable group of hard-right conservatives certain to oppose anything he negotiated with Biden. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said last week that the United States could run out of cash to pay the bills and default on its obligations if the debt ceiling is not raised by June 5. Biden on Monday called on the liberal wing of his party to hear him out. Some progressives have balked at the inclusion of new work requirements in two government assistance programs as well as spending caps. Biden called on the liberal wing of his party to hear him out. The stakes are high for both men - and now each will have to persuade lawmakers in their parties to vote for it.īiden, in an exchange with reporters on Monday, said he felt good about where things stood, but acknowledged that he wasn’t sure if all Democrats on the left will get on board. But after weeks of negotiations, President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have struck an agreement to raise the debt ceiling and avert a potentially devastating government default. WASHINGTON (AP) - It’s a deal no one in Washington claims to really like.
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