On Monday, President Joe Biden urged House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to meet with him on May 9 to discuss raising the debt ceiling and averting a default. This contradicted previous statements made by the White House.
According to Punchbowl News, Biden called McCarthy in Israel. After many days of inaction, Vice President Biden requested a meeting to discuss increasing the debt ceiling.
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, stated on Thursday, “We’re not going to talk about this.” We have been extremely clear about this.
On Wednesday, McCarthy and the Republicans in the House voted to increase the debt ceiling. McCarthy’s success in getting the proposal passed reportedly astonished the Biden administration. The surprising victory of McCarthy appears to have taken the Biden administration by surprise.
“It’s not a plan,” Jean-Pierre remarked Monday of the House measure. It’s a certain way to ruin the economy.
“[House Republicans] should go to work. According to her, Congress has no choice but to act since “their Constitution says they have to do it.”
The White House maintained their reluctance to meet until Monday afternoon. After the White House press conference ended, Biden called McCarthy about an hour later.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-CA) has scheduled hearings on the House plan as Biden and McCarthy prepare to negotiate a compromise. Neither Schumer’s measure nor the House bill have been put to a vote.