WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said he was optimistic Monday that Congress would back his deal to raise the national debt ceiling as the White House worked behind the scenes to secure votes.
“I feel great about this,” Biden told reporters outside the White House as he left Washington for Delaware, adding that he had spoken to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky .
“I’ve spoken to a whole bunch of people and it feels good,” Biden said.
Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached a tentative agreement on Saturday to raise the debt ceiling through 2025 in exchange for a number of Republican demands for spending cuts. As the text of that deal became public Sunday night, the two sides spent Memorial Day weekend selling the plan.
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The deal faces an early test Tuesday in the House Rules Committee, which must approve the process for introducing the bill. The administration has warned that Congress must raise the debt ceiling by June 5 or risk tripping the nation into the first default in its history.
When asked Monday what he would say to progressive Democrats who have reservations about the compromise, Biden replied, “Talk to me.” He declined to go into details.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden projects debt deal optimism as White House, McCarthy counts votes