WASHINGTON, D.C. – Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin is optimistic Congress will take action to avoid default the U.S. debt.
The House is scheduled to vote Wednesday evening on the deal struck between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
The deal suspends the debt limit completely until the first quarter of 2025. It also puts in caps on government spending over the next couple years.
“I think we have an understanding between Republicans and Democrats and we gotta to move forward,” Durbin said. “I’m not happy with parts of it. There’s some things that are envisioned here I can’t understand.”
Durbin says he was concerned the package would affect vital research at the National Institutes of Health. Other Democrats in Congress are not happy with work requirements being added for government programs.
Some Republicans opposing the deal say the spending cuts proposed do not go far enough.
Ultimately, Durbin is hopeful something will get passed.
“I just hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will be mindful of the fact that we need to do this for the good of our economy and the good of our country,” Durbin said.
If a deal to raise the debt ceiling is not reached, then default could occur as early as June 5th.
