Still, his supporters predicted that Congress would pass it before the United States runs out of money to pay its bills, which the Treasury Department says will happen on June 5.
“This will pass without question. There’s no question about that,” said Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson, who said he had spoken to dozens of lawmakers.
Biden said he had also been working on the phone. “I feel good. We’ll see when the voting starts,” she told reporters.
The 99-page bill would suspend the debt ceiling until January 1, 2025, allowing lawmakers to put the politically tricky issue on hold until after the November 2024 presidential election. It would also cap some spending. public for the next two years.
There will be a first test on Tuesday, when the House Rules Committee considers the bill, in a necessary first step before a full House vote.
McCarthy told reporters Monday that he was not worried about the package’s prospects in committee.
In the Senate, Republican Mike Lee also spoke out against the bill, which could point to a tough vote there, where any member has the power to delay a vote for days. Democrats control the Senate with 51 votes in favor and 49 against.
McCarthy has predicted that he will have the support of a majority of his fellow Republicans, who control the House 222-213. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said he expects the caucus to support him, though many on the left of his party could also vote “no.”
