Video News Clips: In Their Own Words

‘This Is Democrats’ Desperation Time’: GOP Whip Mocks Biden, Schumer Over Debt Limit

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Republican Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota mocked President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Wednesday over the debt ceiling, calling it “Democrats’ desperation time.”

Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy talked Monday, but failed to reach an agreement on lifting the debt ceiling. Republicans, led by McCarthy, are insisting on spending cuts to accompany any increase in the limit to the national debt, which currently stands at $31.4 trillion, while Democrats have demanded a “clean” debt ceiling increase, with no spending cuts or other legislative items attached.

“Last week it was ‘Republicans are cutting veterans benefits,’ which was not true. The week before, or this week, it was — it’s the 14th Amendment, I mean this is Democrats’ desperation time,” Emmer, the House majority whip, told Fox News host John Roberts. “Hakeem Jeffries has a job to do, unfortunately he doesn’t have much to sell.”

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Biden proposed a number of tax increases when he released his administration’s budget proposal March 9, including a minimum 25% tax on billionaires and repealing many of the tax cuts passed under President Donald Trump. The national debt has increased by roughly $3.5 trillion since Biden took office.

“You have a White House that refuses to lead, a Senate that refuses or can’t act, you’ve got a House led by Kevin McCarthy that says look, we need to raise the debt ceiling, we need to make sure there is no default in this country and we have a solution to do that with spending reforms,” Emmer continued. “By the way, a CNN poll says 60% of Americans agree with Kevin McCarthy.”

The House of Representatives passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act April 26 by a 217-215 vote, which increases the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion, repeals portions of the Inflation Reduction Act, requires Congress to approve regulations that have an economic effect of $100 million or more and establishes new work requirements for welfare programs.

“This is all on the president at this point. If the president is going to come in and he told you in the original deal that he passed with 218 members supporting it, it had Joe Manchin’s caps on it, it had Joe Biden’s Clinton-era work requirements on it,” Emmer said. “These are things that are normal and until you have the other side actually showing urgency, we are not going to see much progress.”