Kevin McCarthy confident on US debt vote despite threat by hardline Republicans to oust him
- US House poised to vote Wednesday on an urgently needed debt ceiling suspension
- A conservative backlash has resurrected the threat of the country’s first-ever default
US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy dismissed threats from Republican hardliners to oust him over the debt-limit deal he forged with President Joe Biden and expressed confidence that lawmakers will pass legislation in time to avert a US default.
The bill, heading for a House vote on Wednesday evening (Thursday morning Hong Kong time), prompted Republican congressman Dan Bishop to call for a vote on removing McCarthy as speaker, claiming that the deal granted too many concessions to Democrats.
Another conservative member, Chip Roy, promised a “reckoning” for McCarthy, and called the deal a “turd sandwich”.
Asked Tuesday if he was worried he would lose his job as speaker, McCarthy responded “nope”. Supporting the deal is “an easy vote for Republicans,” he said.
Despite the Republican objections, the bill cleared a crucial hurdle on Tuesday night when the powerful House Rules Committee voted 7-6 to advance the bill.
The legislation would set the course for federal spending for the next two years and suspend the debt ceiling until January 1, 2025 – postponing another fight over borrowing until after the presidential election.
