The White House on Tuesday defended a measure to avert a federal debt default Tuesday but plans to stay out of efforts to secure the votes to pass it despite some Democratic criticism.
House GOP and Democratic leaders were talking to their members as they worked to round up the 218 votes needed to send the bill, which also would install spending caps and place work requirements on some assistance programs, to the Senate. A senior White House official who helped negotiate the deal says it is up to those leaders to secure the votes.
Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young also pushed back — though lightly — against criticism from President Joe Biden’s left flank that the measure gave away too much to House Republicans.
