A critical test for the debt ceiling deal worked out between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and President Joe Biden will come Tuesday afternoon when a House committee is scheduled to vote on the rule overseeing debate on the measure.
The Hill noted that Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., members of the Rules Committee, are harsh critics of the deal.
If both vote against the rule, along with the four Democrats on the committee, it would leave only one vote to spare for McCarthy to get the rule through.
"If it's like what's been proposed, I'll vote against it" in the Rules Committee, Norman told The Washington Post.
Norman also tweeted: "This 'deal'" is insanity. A $4T debt ceiling increase with virtually no cuts is not what we agreed to. Not gonna vote to bankrupt our country. The American people deserve better."
Roy tweeted on Monday: "Why I will oppose the #DebtCeiling 'deal.' It's not a good deal. Some $4 Trillion in debt for – at least, a two-year spending freeze and not serious substantive reforms. #No deal."
Norman and Roy are members of the Freedom Caucus.
The Post noted that Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who sometimes allies with the Freedom Caucus, appears supportive of the deal. His vote would give Republicans enough votes to adopt the measure.
The newspaper said Republican House leaders are working behind the scenes to sell the deal to the conference.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a member of the leadership team pushing the deal, said one complaint being voiced is that the deal doesn't cut enough spending.
"This is really about finding a middle spot in divided government and I think Kevin McCarthy did it with Joe Biden," Bacon told the Post. He said the bill is "the three Rs: reasonable, responsible, realistic."
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.