McConnell gets what he asked for: A back seat to debt ceiling negotiations

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has been adamant that Senate Republicans leave negotiations over the debt ceiling to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and President Joe Biden since January, and now it appears the Kentucky Republican’s message has been received.

After Biden met with McCarthy and top congressional leaders on Tuesday, negotiations appeared to be moving forward, with White House officials working directly with members of the speaker’s team in an attempt to reach an agreement. This puts McConnell, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) on the bench. McCarthy endorsed the bilateral structure and said it could help the process move forward.