Manchin says he’ll meet with McCarthy on ‘pathway forward’ on debt ceiling

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said on Sunday that he plans to meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to discuss a “pathway forward” on a deal to raise the debt ceiling. 

During an appearance on FOX News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” Manchin told host Maria Bartiromo that he believes the Biden administration will become involved in the debt ceiling negotiation, even though the White House has so far refused to engage.

“I know there’s so much rhetoric that comes out, and I think everyone knows we cannot default on our debt in the United States of America,” he said. “There’s full faith in the government and Treasury that we’re going to pay our debts.” 

Manchin also told Bartiromo that he recently spoke with McCarthy and plans to meet with the Speaker in an effort to find a resolution on the debt ceiling.

“And I said, Kevin, let’s — we’re going to sit down when I go back and look at, is there a pathway forward?” Manchin told Bartiromo.

“So, hopefully, that we can recognize that we have a runaway debt. We recognize we’re all responsible,” Manchin added.

Manchin’s remarks come after the U.S. reached its technical borrowing limit of around $31.4 trillion last week, with the Treasury Department saying it will take measures to make sure that the government’s bills are fully paid until around June. 

Republicans are using a vote to raise the debt ceiling as a point of leverage to cut government spending. However, the White House has so far refused to entertain any concessions, pointing to a number of clean debt ceiling hikes under former President Trump.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) downplayed the possibility of a crisis on Thursday.  

“No, I would not be concerned about a financial crisis,” McConnell told a gaggle of reporters following an event in Kentucky.