January 7

Both sides dig in on debt ceiling

The president says no compromise on paying the bills. Republicans insist on spending cuts.

The Associated Press

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"None of us like using situations like the sequester (automatic across-the-board spending cuts) or the debt ceiling or the operation of government to try to engage the president to deal with this," the Senate Republican leader said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., didn't dismiss the idea of allowing a partial shutdown of government until an agreement can be reached. Texas Sen. John Cornyn and other Republicans have floated the idea of a shutdown as a way of winning deeper spending cuts.

"I believe we need to raise the debt ceiling, but if we don't raise it without a plan to get out of debt, all of us should be fired," Graham said.

AUTHORITY QUESTIONED

Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, said the Republican strategy amounted to: "Give us what we want ... or we're going to tank the United States economy."

Pelosi said she believes the president has enough authority under the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling without Congress' blessing.

But the White House has said previously that it does not believe that the amendment -- which says the "validity" of public debt shouldn't be questioned -- gives the president that power.

McConnell spoke on NBC's "Meet the Press," ABC "This Week" and CBS "Face the Nation." Pelosi was on CBS. Durbin and Graham appeared on CNN's "State of the Union" and Van Hollen was interviewed on "Fox News Sunday."

 

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