#Debt deal text released as leaders corral votes 

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) released text of the bill to raise the debt limit on Sunday evening as Democratic and Republican leaders work to corral support ahead of this week’s vote.

The bill — which spans 99 pages — raises the debt limit for two years, strengthens work requirements on federal public assistance programs and rescinds COVID-19 funding that went unused, among other provisions.

McCarthy spoke to Biden on the phone late Sunday shortly before the text of the bill was released.

The bill’s release officially starts the clock on the 72-hour rule, which gives House members at least three days to review a bill before voting on it. Sticking to the 72-hour rule was a key demand of the conservatives who withheld support for McCarthy during the drawn-out Speaker’s race in January.

With text released on Sunday, the House can vote on the bill as early as Wednesday and send it to the Senate for consideration.

But Democratic and Republican leaders will first have to rally enough support for the legislation to have it pass through the chamber, a task that could become more complicated as liberals and conservatives voice concerns with the bill. 

Republican leaders will call members back to Washington to vote on other measures Tuesday night, according to House GOP Conference Secretary Lisa McClain (Mich.), which gives leadership an opportunity to whip votes in person ahead of Wednesday’s high-stakes vote.

McCarthy briefed members of his conference on the deal late Saturday night, which sparked criticism on the right from members frustrated by how little the agreement entails.

“This ‘deal’ is insanity. A $4T debt ceiling increase with virtually no cuts is not what we agreed to. Not gonna vote to bankrupt our country. The American people deserve better,” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, wrote on Twitter.

Sunday morning, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) — who characterized the agreement as a “turd-sandwich” — said he has heard from a number of his colleagues who are not on board.

The deal is also drawing some ire on the left, with Democrats frustrated by provisions like beefed up work requirements for public assistance programs. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) — who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which has more than 100 members — said Democratic leadership should not count on the group’s support just yet.

“Yes, they have to worry,” Jayapal told CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked if House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) should worry about whether or not her caucus will support the debt limit agreement.

A number of lawmakers, however, have said they are waiting to review bill text before deciding how they will vote on the deal.

After the House, the bill will need to pass in the Senate, where conservative Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has threatened to use procedural maneuvers to delay its passage.

Because of that, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned Senate Democrats on Sunday that they may need to stay in session and work on Friday and next weekend in order to pass the bill.

Lawmakers are staring down a June 5 deadline after Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the U.S. will run out of cash to pay its bills by that day if Congress does not act to raise the borrowing limit, a situation that would trigger the country’s first-ever default.

Biden and McCarthy announced a deal in principle to raise the debt limit Saturday night after days of negotiations between proxies tapped by the two leaders.