U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., told Newsmax on Monday it's "reasonable" to expect President Joe Biden will be open to negotiate during scheduled talks Wednesday with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on the federal government's $31.4 trillion debt ceiling.
The U.S. reached the debt ceiling last month, meaning it can no longer borrow money to pay its bills. With Republicans in control of the House and the government's purse strings, McCarthy wants assurances from the White House of budget cuts before making any deal on raising the debt ceiling.
"I expect the president to begin to negotiate," Clyde said on "American Agenda." "I believe that's reasonable. I believe it's responsible."
Biden has been unwilling to consider spending cuts in connection with raising the debt ceiling, which Clyde said is "irresponsible."
"They're asking for a blind debt ceiling increase with no strings attached and no path ahead," said Clyde, a member of the Appropriations Committee. "No plan on how they're going to spend this additional, whatever it ends up being, but something-trillion-dollars of increase to the national debt, and I just think that's irresponsible.
"I think the speaker is going to go there with a very strong hand, a strong negotiating position, a pretty unified Republican conference behind him, and I think out of that meeting, they're going to have President Biden at a place where he will negotiate."
Biden told reporters Monday, after arriving to the White House on Marine One, that his message to McCarthy is "show me your budget, I'll show you mine."
According to federal budget guidelines, Biden must submit his budget plan for the next fiscal year by the first Monday in February. Clyde said the onus is on Biden to show McCarthy his budget, not the other way around.
"Our budget is not due next Monday," Clyde said. "His is, so I think that's a demand that all of the Republican conference should have: Show us your budget. Show us your priorities and then let's get to work."
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