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Kevin McCarthy, Republican leader of the House of Representatives, on the debt dispute in the USA: "We need movement from the White House, and we don't have any movement yet."
Photo: SHAWN THEW / EPA
Negotiations between US Republicans and President Joe Biden's administration to avoid a default by the country continued on Friday evening after a break of several hours, according to a representative of the presidential office.
"We will return to the negotiating table tonight," Kevin McCarthy, the speaker of the House of Representatives, had announced in a television interview shortly before. The negotiations had previously been interrupted. McCarthy says, "We need movement from the White House, and we don't have any movement yet."
A White House official said at noon: "There are real differences between the parties on budget issues, and the talks will be difficult." Accordingly, an agreement is still possible if both sides act in good faith and are willing to make concessions.
There is a dispute in Washington about raising the federal debt ceiling of $31.4 trillion. If no agreement is reached, the US is threatened with insolvency. US President Biden himself is in Japan until Sunday for the G7 summit.
The U.S. debt limit has been suspended or raised dozens of times in recent decades under bipartisan presidents – with bipartisan majorities. This year, however, the Republicans are flexing their muscles with their new majority in the House of Representatives, which was achieved in the midterm congressional elections in autumn 2022.
kim/Reuters