Debt ceiling negotiations face resistance from House Democrats and progressives.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned that House Democrats will not automatically back a debt ceiling deal cut between President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Jeffries’s remarks send a clear signal that House Democrats should not be considered a rubber stamp for a compromise bill if they deem it to violate core party principles, particularly their efforts to protect vulnerable populations from huge cuts to social benefit programs. The sides appear to be inching closer to a deal, but a number of outstanding issues remain, including disagreements surrounding work requirements for benefit programs, permitting reforms to expedite energy projects, and levels of federal spending for 2024 and beyond.