Daines Calls McCarthy ‘The Adult in the Room’ in Debt Crisis

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Montana Senator Steve Daines, as part of his role as the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, spoke out on Wednesday about the recent meeting between Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and President Biden over the looming debt ceiling deadline.

“If Secretary (of the Treasury Janet) Yellen is correct with her forecast, we're three weeks away from today from facing a potential default on the American credit,” began Senator Daines. “This default would throw financial markets not only in the United States in turmoil but the global markets as well.”

Montana's Steve Daines Speaks Out on Debt Ceiling Crisis

Daines pointed out that the Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have already passed a bill dealing with the debt limit issue.

“So where are we at this moment in history?” asked Daines. “I'm proud of Speaker McCarthy, who didn't take a look at this looming crisis and say we're going to wait until we get up to the edge of the cliff and do nothing. He pulled Republicans together in the House and passed a responsible bill that lifts the debt ceiling in exchange for some spending restraints and reforms in the way the government spends money.”

Daines pointed to polling that states the American people are solidly behind the Republican measure to solve the debt limit crisis.

Daines said a Majority of Americans Favor the Republican Solution

“65 percent of the American people in a Harvard Harris Poll are on the side of that principle,” he said. “You can't raise the debt ceiling without having some sort of responsible spending and budget reforms put into place. The President (Joe Biden) and the Democrats are in the minority as it relates to the public opinion in this country.”

Daines said Biden’s attempt at brinksmanship could spell disaster for the American and world economy.

Daines said Biden's 'Brinkmanship' Could be Disastrous

“He's playing a very, very dangerous game,” he said. “The fact that he literally shut Kevin McCarthy out for 90 days, kind of hoping to back Washington D.C. into a crisis and perhaps get his way is irresponsible. It's reckless. The ‘adult in the room’ has been Speaker McCarthy and the House Republicans. It's childish to not negotiate. It's irresponsible not to negotiate. Failure to do so could push the United States and the global markets into a place we've never been before, and hope to never go.”

On January 19, 2023, the United States hit its debt ceiling, beginning an ongoing debt-ceiling crisis. In response, Janet Yellen, the secretary of the treasury, began enacting temporary "extraordinary measures". June 1 has been set as the date when some sort of agreement must be arrived at to forestall the United States from defaulting on the national debt.