Key House conservative on debt deal: ‘There’s a reason Mitt Romney supports this’

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) on Tuesday highlighted the support the debt ceiling deal struck between President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) received from Democrats and Republican Sen. Mitt Romney (Utah) as he continues to rail against the agreement.

“Frankly, you’re gonna make things worse, and my Democratic colleagues know it,” Roy said of the debt limit bill during a press conference with members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. “That’s why they’re supporting it. That’s why they’re going around gleeful.”

“There’s a reason our Democratic colleagues support this. There’s a reason that Mitt Romney supports this. There’s a reason that Bill Kristol supports this. It’s all the same stuff,” he added.

Romney — a frequent target of Freedom Caucus conservatives who believe he is too moderate — threw his support behind the Biden-McCarthy agreement Sunday morning, writing in a statement that the deal “is good for the country in that it prevents a default and subsequent financial meltdown, while also limiting spending.” He also highlighted the beefed-up work requirements and permitting reform provisions included in the measure.

The agreement — titled the Fiscal Responsibility Act — raises the debt limit for two years, stiffens work requirements for federal public assistance programs and claws back unspent COVID-19 funds, among other provisions.

Romney said that while he would have liked to see an agreement that touched on entitlements, the deal struck between Biden and McCarthy “represents a good-faith bipartisan compromise.”

“I’m hopeful the House and Senate will pass it into law in the coming days,” he added.

House leaders are whipping up support for the legislation ahead of this week’s vote — which is set for Wednesday — but Roy’s messaging suggests the bill may meet some resistance. A number of conservatives and liberals have expressed concerns with the measure, and some GOP lawmakers have vowed to vote against it when it comes to the floor.

Conservatives are frustrated that the measure is not more aggressive, and liberals are unhappy with the number of provisions included.

Roy, who said he will oppose the bill, posted a graphic on Twitter on Monday afternoon comparing the debt limit legislation House Republicans passed last month — titled the Limit, Save, Grow Act — to the agreement struck between Biden and McCarthy.

“It’s not a good deal,” Roy wrote. “Some $4 Trillion in debt for – at best – a two year spending freeze and no serious substantive policy reforms. #NoDeal”

On Tuesday, the Texas Republican made a direct plea to his GOP colleagues to vote against the bill.

“I want to be very clear: Not one Republican should vote for this deal. Not one. If you’re out there watching this, every one of my colleagues, I’m gonna be very clear: Not one Republican should vote for this deal,” Roy said. “It is a bad deal.”

He pointed to opposition the bill has received from outside conservative groups — including Club for Growth, The Heritage Foundation and FreedomWorks — and from GOP presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who said the agreement leaves the U.S. “careening toward bankruptcy.”

“There’s a reason that our conservative allies are opposing it roundly. The Club for Growth scoring against it, The Heritage Foundation scoring against it, FreedomWorks scoring against it, Ron DeSantis publicly opposed, President Trump said he thought we should default rather than pursue this kind of lunacy,” Roy said.

“At the end of the day, the only person that would default in this town is Joe Biden, unless Republicans default on the American dream by voting for this bad bill,” he added.