McCarthy Pushing Undecideds as Debt Ceiling Vote Looms

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is leaning on those Republican House members who haven’t made a decision on whether to support lifting the debt limit in exchange for spending cuts, the Washington Examiner is reporting.

McCarthy insisted on Sunday that the House will pass the $1.5 trillion debt ceiling increase plan this week, but acknowledged that the vote could be tight as there is only a “very small majority” where just five GOP defectors could kill his bill.

“We will hold a vote this week and we will pass it,” the California Republican told Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures” host Maria Bartiromo, pointing out that he can’t imagine that there is anyone in the House Republican conference that will go along with President Joe Biden’s “reckless spending.”

The Examiner noted McCarthy needs to secure a bare minimum of 218 votes in order to pass the proposed legislation in the House. The news outlet said he does not appear to have enough votes yet to get the bill through the lower chamber as he still faces pushback from some of those on the right, along with some problems from centrist Republicans.

The Examiner called the vote the “biggest test for McCarthy” as speaker and noted it will be a blow to his credibility if the bill fails to get the 218 votes needed.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who has praised the proposed legislation for including work requirements, wants them to be more stringent, according to the Examiner.

Instead of mandating able-bodied adults without children to work 20 hours a week to receive Medicaid and food stamps, he’s wants the threshold to be increased to 30 hours a week.

And Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., said he is “leaning ‘no’ ” on the Republican bill. Biggs said he is concerned with the idea that Congress should be raising the debt ceiling at all, the outlet said.

Reps. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn. And Eric Burlison, R-Mo., have also voiced similar reservations.

Republican Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Tony Gonzales of Texas have also voiced concerns Gonzales has threatened to vote “no” if a separate immigration measure is brought to the House floor.

Mace told CNN on Monday she is “leaning against” the proposal since it doesn’t balance the budget.

Meanwhile, McCarthy’s team is continuing to push for votes, according to the Examiner. And House Republican leadership is expressing little interest in amending the bill.