[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 10, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1578-S1579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Debt Ceiling

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I was glad to attend yesterday's White 
House meeting in solidarity with Speaker McCarthy. Unlike the White 
House, the Speaker has been handling the debt limit in a responsible 
fashion.
  Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans have passed the only 
legislation currently in existence that prevents default. He spent 
months waiting for President Biden to come to the table. But the White 
House has wasted 3 months--3 months wasted. The President of the United 
States has been MIA.
  So let's hope yesterday was the start of the administration accepting 
the reality of our situation. Everybody knows there is only one way to 
defuse the looming crisis, the normal and routine thing--spending 
negotiations between the President and the Speaker.
  The American people voted for divided government. President Biden 
refusing to compromise is really not an

[[Page S1579]]

option when you have a divided government. Unconstitutionally acting 
without Congress is also not an option. There is exactly one way--just 
one way--to prevent a pointless, avoidable crisis: the bipartisan 
negotiation that Speaker McCarthy has been calling for since way back 
in February.
  Seven of the last 10 debt limit hikes came with a bipartisan deal on 
spending levels. Let me just say that again. Seven of the last 10 debt 
limit hikes came with a bipartisan deal on spending levels.
  Just 4 years ago, we had today's situation in reverse. What happened? 
Secretary Mnuchin was sent to negotiate with Speaker Pelosi. They 
struck a caps deal, and the debt limit was addressed. It was exactly 
the situation we have now, in reverse.
  Yesterday's meeting was an overdue first step. I hope President Biden 
has begun to wake up. Even rank-and-file Democrats in the House and 
Senate say the President's refusal to negotiate has been untenable.
  The Democrats can't waste any more time. The White House has to stop 
sleepwalking towards default and reach a spending deal with the 
Speaker.