HYGO News Debt Ceiling Talks? Jean-Pierre: 'We're Just Not Going to Negotiate About That' - Four Months Later, Biden Did (January 18, 2023)
The new Republican House had just taken over, and the White House wanted no talks on the debt ceiling. “It is something that should be hap- — that should be done without conditions. There should be — we should not be negotiating around it,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “And so, we’re not going to — we’re just not going to negotiate about that.” [1]
The question came from a reporter she called Josh. “Given everything you just laid out with regard to House Republicans, what has the White House seen or heard from House Republicans that gives you confidence that we can avoid a default?” the reporter asked [1].
“This is an easy one. This is something that should be happening without conditions,” Jean-Pierre said [1].
The video above shows the Jan. 18, 2023, briefing. Quotes are from the official White House transcript [1].
”There Will Not Be Any Negotiations”
Later, a reporter she called Niels asked whether Biden would even discuss the debt limit if he met congressional leaders on another subject. “Or will he just sort of say, ‘No, we’re not going to do this; we’re going to — we’ll discuss the topic at hand, but we won’t talk about negotiating over the debt limit’?” the reporter asked [1].
“So, let me be clear. I don’t have a meeting with leaders to — to read out at this time or to announce, but we’ve been really clear. We will not — there will not be any negotiations over the debt ceiling. We will not do that,” Jean-Pierre said [1].
“It should not be used as a political football,” she said [1].
The last question of the briefing came back to it. “Does that mean that the White House, the President is dissuading other Democrats on the Hill from engaging in those conversations and those negotiations with Republicans?” a reporter asked. “What we’ve been very clear about is that in the last administration, the debt ceiling was dealt with three times — three times in a bipartisan way,” Jean-Pierre answered [1].
”The Red Wave That Never Happened”
Jean-Pierre began her answer with the midterms. “After we saw a historic — kind of a historic — historic, when it comes to a Democratic President in — in 60 years being able to — you know, to have a successful midterm, when you look at what we saw in the Senate and we look at the red wave that never happened,” she said [1].
“The American people spoke very loudly and very clearly: They want to see us work in a bipartisan way,” she said Biden had concluded [1].
“Do you think House Republicans in this Congress see their responsibilities the way that you just outlined?” the reporter asked. “They should,” Jean-Pierre said [1].
”Cutting Social Media — Pardon Me”
In her opening, Jean-Pierre went after the House GOP’s economic plan and tripped on a word. “House Republicans are advancing an economic plan that will take tax cuts for the rich, higher prices, and cutting social media — pardon me — cutting Social — Social Security and cutting Medicare as well,” she said [1].
She also charged that Republicans were “trying to hold the debt limit hostage unless they can, again, cut Social Security, cut Medicare, cut Medicaid” [1].
”Visitor Logs for His House”
The same reporter had one more. “Given the frequency with which President Biden works in Delaware, what is the case against having visitor logs for his house?” [1]
“So I’m — I am going to refer you to my White — the White House Counsel,” Jean-Pierre said. “They answered this question that you are asking me, I believe, on Sunday.” [1]
By the Numbers
- 3: times, Jean-Pierre said, the debt limit was dealt with under the last President “in a bipartisan way” [1].
- 60 years: the span she cited for a Democratic president’s midterm showing [1].
- 23 percent: the national sales tax she accused Republicans of wanting [1].
- 4 months: until Biden announced a deal with Speaker Kevin McCarthy [2].
What Happened Next
Biden negotiated. On May 27, 2023, Biden announced a deal with the Republican Speaker. “Earlier this evening Speaker McCarthy and I reached a budget agreement in principle. It is an important step forward that reduces spending while protecting critical programs for working people and growing the economy for everyone,” Biden said [2].
“The agreement represents a compromise, which means not everyone gets what they want. That’s the responsibility of governing,” he said [2]. “Over the next day, our negotiating teams will finalize legislative text and the agreement will go to the United States House and Senate. I strongly urge both Chambers to pass the agreement right away,” Biden said [2].
Jean-Pierre had called the debt limit something Congress should handle “without conditions.” The deal Biden reached came with spending limits.
The deal capped spending. The Fiscal Responsibility Act, signed June 3, 2023, opened with Division A, “LIMIT FEDERAL SPENDING,” setting “DISCRETIONARY SPENDING LIMITS” [3].
For the “keys of oversight” exchange at the same briefing, see HYGO News’ page on Jan. 18, 2023. For the documents questions that day, see the page on the “non-answer answer”.