Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., told Newsmax she is going to vote for the debt limit deal reached by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden because "at least we got something" and "we must pay our bills."
"It's simple for me. We will spend less money next year than we spent this year. We have to raise ... the debt limit because we have to pay our bills," McClain said during "American Agenda" Wednesday. "If we don't, we crash the economy, inflation goes through the roof, we're paying $7 for gas, everybody's 401(k) tanks, people get laid off — it's a financial crisis. At least we got something. Is it what I wanted? Heavens, no. Did I want more? Absolutely. But it is a start, and it is progress."
The House is expected to vote on the deal later Wednesday. If it passes, it will go to the Senate and, if passed there, finally to Biden to sign into law.
"I think things are going as planned," Biden told reporters before leaving for Colorado Wednesday. "God willing, by the time I land, Congress will have acted, the House will have acted, and we'll be one step closer."
McCarthy, meanwhile, is working to corral his GOP caucus to gain enough votes to pass the plan and avoid a potential default in the next week.
"Everybody has a right to their own opinion; but on history, I'd want to be here with this bill today," McCarthy said. "Today, America is going to win."
While several House Republicans say they will not vote for the plan and feel McCarthy did not get enough out of Democrats in the deal, McClain said the measure is a positive move to get the government to spend less going forward.
"The last time we spent less, I think, was several decades ago," she said. "So it's progress."
McClain pointed to "procedural changes" the GOP pushed for, including making the Democrats and Biden administration tell Congress how they will pay for spending in executive orders and forcing Congress to adopt 12 separate appropriations bills instead of a huge omnibus package to fund the government, delivered at the 11th hour.
McClain said the constituents in her Michigan district are complaining about the amount the government is spending but have to understand the progress this agreement makes in reducing the amount going out of the door.
"Basically, people are complaining that the government has a spending problem; and they are 100% right," she said. "What they have to understand is for the first time in decades, we are actually cutting spending. I think their frustration is we're still spending too much, and I would wholeheartedly agree with them."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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