Congressional Leaders Speak on Debt Limit Meeting With Biden

President Joe Biden and congressional Republicans made little tangible progress Tuesday toward averting a first-ever US default, but pledged negotiations on spending that would open the door to a possible agreement.

Congressional aides and presidential staff will begin budget discussions in the coming hours, ahead of another meeting on Friday with Biden and congressional leaders, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

“Over these last few days and weeks, there’s going to be a lot of posturing, politics and gamesmanship and it’s going to continue for a while,” Biden said after his hour-long meeting Tuesday in the Oval Office with leaders from both parties. But, the president said, he viewed the conversation as “productive.”

The intensified negotiations could at least temporarily assuage markets ahead of June 1, when Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned the nation risks exhausting its ability to meet all payment obligations. Economists say a breach of the debt ceiling would rattle markets, increase lending costs, and lead to the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Biden said he was pleased by Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell’s comments after the meeting that he did not foresee the country defaulting. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also expressed hope of a bipartisan deal.

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[popsoldboats]

No income for politicians for one year. All politicians must sell half their stocks purchased during their term and pay the debt. There done.

[russdixon]

"Reckless, irresponsible, and extreme". That is exactly how Congress has been managing the nation's finances for decades. OVER 30 TRILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT.

[Tophtoph]

They have a job, they need to do it, pay the bills. Its the reason they are there. If they can’t do that then we need to find someone who can.

[scottstockdale]

Cut the government. There’s no other legitimate option. Government is too big and too expensive.

[mr.t]

Balance the budget, then there will be no need to raise the debt limit.

[joejuckett]

Reckless is not shutting it down, reckless was getting us in this situation.

[highrider]

$10, 000 for a lightbulb change.
$50, 000 for 1000 paper plates.

WE ARE BEING ROBBED GOD DAMMIT.

[Blahbah]

These corrupt officials need to be in prison

[jagp]

Why doesn’t anyone want accountability We should hire the 87 thousand IRS agents and send them to the pentagon to find the 4.3 trillion dollars lost which is 13.8.% of our debt!

[jayaldrich]

Americans want the reckless spending to stop. You can’t have an open checkbook with no limit.

[justnana]

Do it. Defund the government. It's called a budget, people, that means you can only spend what you got.

[nilesanders]

Reckless Congressional spending, for 50 years, is the problem.

[herbertbrown]

They all should take a pay cut and pay into the government so we don't fall behind

[randyrci]

Reckless, irresponsible and extreme are the best qualities of the democratic party.
It gets much worse from there.

[mariodelauro]

They have us trillions in debt and there talking like they know what their doing, what a joke of a government we have

[jackmehoff]

Default. Shutt down this incompetent government.

[jackspickphone]

Hold your ground, McCarthy. Don't let us "extreme MAGA Republicans" down.

[unhiptser]

The Democrats can't even manage a fart

[donraasch]

yes Mr Shumar we need a new plan get rid of both parties and get real people working for the people not special interests. We had so much wasteful spending and corruption

[williamheim]

Default instead of letting these traitors bankrupt us.