House OKs debt ceiling bill to avoid default, sends Biden-McCarthy deal to Senate

The U.S. Capitol is seen on a sunset Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at Capitol Hill in Washington. After passage of a crucial procedural vote on the debt ceiling and budget cuts package negotiated between Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and President Joe Biden the U.S. still faces a potentially disastrous U.S. default in less than a week if Congress fails to act. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) The U.S. Capitol is seen on a sunset Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at Capitol Hill in Washington. After passage of a crucial procedural vote on the debt ceiling and budget cuts package negotiated between Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and President Joe Biden the U.S. still faces a potentially disastrous U.S. default in less than a week if Congress fails to act. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

By LISA MASCARO, KEVIN FREKING, STEPHEN GROVES and FARNOUSH AMIRI / Associated Press May 31, 2023 6 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) — Veering away from a default crisis, the House overwhelmingly approved a debt ceiling and budget cuts package, sending the deal that President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy negotiated to the Senate for swift passage in a matter of days, before a fast-approaching deadline.

The hard-fought compromise pleased few, but lawmakers assessed it was better than the alternative — a devastating economic upheaval if Congress failed to act. Tensions ran high as hard-right Republicans refused the deal, but Biden and McCarthy assembled a bipartisan coalition to push to passage on a robust 314-117 vote late Wednesday.

“We did pretty dang good,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said afterward.

Amid deep discontent from Republicans who said the spending restrictions did not go far enough, McCarthy said it is only a “first step.”

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