McCarthy says debt ceiling standoff ‘not my fault,’ as White House warns of economic risks

By LISA MASCARO and STEPHEN GROVES
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A defiant House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says the debt ceiling standoff is “not my fault” after he sent Republican negotiators to the White House to finish out debt limit talks. But he’s warning that the two sides need more time as they try to reach a budget deal with President Joe Biden. McCarthy says he remains optimistic they can make progress in hopes of an agreement before a deadline as soon as next week. That’s when the Treasury Department could run out of cash to pay its bills. McCarthy vows, “We’re not going to default.” The White House says Republicans have set in motion a “manufactured crisis” by pushing “extreme proposals” that would hurt “every single part of the country.”