The White House has stated that President Joe Biden will not negotiate with Republicans on their efforts to tie spending cuts to the US debt ceiling extension. The Republican Party has proposed steep spending cuts across various government programs in exchange for extending the debt ceiling, a routine accounting procedure that allows the government to borrow more money. If the debt ceiling is not extended, the federal government could run out of money and default on debts as early as June 1st. However, the White House has made it clear that they will not negotiate on the issue.
Press Secretary Karine Jeane-Pierre stated that Biden is willing to discuss a separate process to address budget cuts but that the debt ceiling issue should be entirely set aside. She added that it is Congress' constitutional duty to prevent default and that the only practical path to avoid default is for Congress to suspend the debt limit without conditions. Republicans in the House have passed a proposed bill that would allow extending the debt ceiling in return for steep spending cuts. However, the bill is unlikely to pass the Democratic-led Senate. Biden has offered to meet with Republican Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, for crisis talks at the White House next week, but he is doubling down on his refusal to link Republican spending cut goals to the debt ceiling extension.
