The House Rules Committee, chaired by Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), narrowly agreed to advance Kevin McCarthy's (R-CA) compromise plan that he reached with President Biden to a House vote. The deal that Speaker McCarthy struck with Biden would suspend yet again the debt ceiling in exchange for discretionary spending being limited. The committee voted 7-6 in McCarthy's favor, with two Republicans joining the committee's four Democrats in dissenting from the deal, according to Just the News.

The committee's two dissenting Republicans were Representatives Chip Roy (R-TX) and Ralph Norman (R-SC). Representative Norman argued that "This "deal" does NOTHING to address the root problems that have led our country down a dangerous path and put us in a deep hole of nearly $32 trillion in debt."

This "deal" does NOTHING to address the root problems that have led our country down a dangerous path and put us in a deep hole of nearly $32 trillion in debt. #NoDeal

— Rep. Ralph Norman (@RepRalphNorman) May 30, 2023

Representative Roy argued that "We are barreling towards unlimited debt in this country…. The government has grown 40% since COVID. It is time to cut off the Swamp and return to pre-COVID spending" and faulted the compromise plan for failing to do this. 
 

We are barreling towards unlimited debt in this country….

The government has grown 40% since COVID.

It is time to cut off the Swamp and return to pre-COVID spending #ShrinkWashingtonGrowAmerica pic.twitter.com/hSafValW6m

— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) May 30, 2023

Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY), a committee member who voted in favor of McCarthy's plan, attacked the Republican detractors by saying that the attempt to block the bill "is an inappropriate use of the Rules Committee...ou can control every amendment that comes to the floor with this committee. You can undo the good work of the other committees... but my interest in being on this committee was not to imprint my ideology."
 

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Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who is not a member of the House Rules committee, argued that the compromise "provides a tool...that gives us a chance to make...[some needed] fiscal changes" and that this deal is a good option given the present divided government. She listed a number of examples that she thinks are a step forward in terms of needed changes.

..but I came to Washington to make changes and this bill actually provides a tool (an idea from @RepThomasMassie) that gives us a chance to make those fiscal changes.

2/19

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) May 31, 2023 

Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) thought that McCarthy buckled under pressure and his presentation of the deal was an example of overpromising and underdelivering. Vance thought it would have been better for McCarthy to pitch a more realistic portrait of what he could accomplish through this deal. "Two possible messages on the debt ceiling deal. 1) It’s the best we could do in an era of divided government, or 2) It’s an historic deal for the country. The first might be true; the second is obviously false. Our base would be a lot less angry if our leaders were honest" wrote the Ohio lawmaker. 

He continued by stating that "I’ll attempt to offer some amendments to make this thing salvageable. And we’ll see what ultimately comes out of the House. But in its present form I’m a firm no."

 

I’ll attempt to offer some amendments to make this thing salvageable. And we’ll see what ultimately comes out of the House. But in its present form I’m a firm no.

— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) May 30, 2023

As much as Republicans may be divided over the contents of the compromise package, it seems that Democrats too are split. Rep. Rho Khanna (D-CA) observed that "My sense is a large majority of the House Democratic Caucus is in flux as to where they’re going to be on this."