[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 78 (Tuesday, May 9, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1553-S1554]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Debt Ceiling

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, 7 of the last 10 debt limit increases 
were attached to bipartisan government spending deals. All three of the 
debt limit increases from 2017 through 2020 were attached to bipartisan 
government spending deals.
  So there is no reason why our country should be drifting toward 
crisis. The solution is clear; it has been clear for months. President 
Biden needs to negotiate on spending with Speaker McCarthy.
  The Speaker has been at the table since February. House Republicans 
are the only people in town who have passed any bill that prevents 
default. President Biden has been MIA.
  House and Senate Democrats have no plan, no proposal. They have no 
bill to raise the debt ceiling that could pass either in the House or 
the Senate, let alone both.
  So the choice is President Biden's: Either he drives the country into 
default or he comes to the table.
  Four years ago, in 2019, the roles were reversed. Republicans held 
the White House. Democrats held the White House. I was the majority 
leader. And my advice to the President then was the same as my advice 
to the President now: raise the debt limit by negotiating spending 
levels with the Speaker.
  That administration listened. They sent Secretary Mnuchin to hammer 
out a debt deal with Speaker Pelosi. They struck a compromise. Spending 
levels were set, and the debt limit was raised.
  That is what a responsible Senate majority leader would be telling 
the Biden White House today: Sit down with the Speaker and strike a 
deal.
  Any compromise flushed out by the Republican House and the Democratic 
White House will pass the Senate easily. So President Biden's actions 
will either prevent default or guarantee default.
  It is just that simple. It is up to the President.
  Either President Biden causes an economic disaster of his own 
creation or he picks up the 2019 playbook and negotiates with Speaker 
McCarthy.
  Everybody knows this is on President Biden. Rank-and-file House and 
Senate Democrats have publicly called on the White House to negotiate.

[[Page S1554]]

  The Washington Post--the Washington Post--ran an entire editorial 
entitled, ``It's time for Biden to call McCarthy!''
  Last week, an entire news story detailed how the White House is 
garnering no support from nonpartisan leaders or experts for their 
bizarre strategy of sleepwalking into disaster.
  The people around President Biden, including the Senate Democratic 
leader, seem to think they can wish away the results of the midterm 
election. They want to pretend the American people didn't flip the 
House.
  That is not how it works. In divided government, you negotiate. The 
President and the Speaker need to talk, just like in 2019. We need a 
bipartisan spending agreement, just like 7 of the previous 10 debt 
limit deals. I will be joining the White House meeting later today, and 
I will continue to support the Speaker.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.