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As the US approaches a potential debt default, negotiations between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden are ongoing. Despite Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s warning that the US will be unable to pay its bills by June 1, the Senate will proceed with its planned May recess, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. This decision has sparked controversy among senators, with some urging the Senate to remain in session until a deal is reached. The debt ceiling is a critical issue that requires bipartisan cooperation to avoid economic fallout. With the clock ticking down, a default looms on the horizon, threatening to wreak havoc on the economy. Any deal must be reached quickly to avert this disaster.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has confirmed that the Senate will indeed recess in May as planned, leaving many conservatives concerned over the possibility of a debt default. Amid unfinished negotiations between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and President Joe Biden, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned that the U.S. will be unable to pay its bills by June 1. With the Senate recess ending on May 30, conservative lawmakers are growing uneasy about the potential economic fallout of a debt default. 

Due to the Senate’s current 51-49 split, every member has the opportunity to act as a protest vote. This is a concern for conservative lawmakers, who fear that the Democrats could use the opportunity to push through liberal policies under the guise of a debt limit negotiation. 

While speaking on the Senate floor, Schumer said, “The negotiations are currently making progress. Members should remain aware and be able to return to the Senate within a 24-hour period to fulfill our responsibilities to avoid default.”

Earlier in the week, Schumer also warned lawmakers about defaulting on U.S. debt, saying it would “almost certainly create another recession.”

While Biden and McCarthy are leading negotiations, the Senate has been largely silent, leaving conservatives concerned about the potential consequences of a debt default. The debt ceiling, or the top amount the federal government can borrow, will either need to be raised or abolished sometime next month to avert a default. Economists have long warned that such a default would wreak havoc on the economy.

A group of 14 House Republicans sent a letter to Schumer on Monday urging him to keep the Senate in session rather than go through with the recess while a deal on the debt limit is still not done. 

McCarthy was able to hold enough of the House Republican Conference together to pass his debt ceiling budget proposal late last month. President Joe Biden, backed up by Senate Democrats, stood firm in his refusal to negotiate over the debt limit for months, which conservatives argue demonstrates a lack of leadership and a willingness to engage in political “hostage-taking.” The likelihood of such legislation passing the Democratically-controlled Senate is slim, making it even more concerning for conservative lawmakers.

Negotiations have picked up in recent weeks as the deadline approaches, but no deal has been reached. Conservative lawmakers and financial experts remain on edge as the possibility of a debt default looms, and the lack of progress in negotiations only adds to their concerns.

The looming debt ceiling crisis has further underscored the growing ideological divide between Republicans and Democrats, with negotiations becoming ever more intense as the deadline approaches. If a resolution is not found soon, the consequences could be catastrophic, not just for the economy, but for everyday Americans who rely on the government to fund crucial services. For now, Washington appears to be in a holding pattern, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle holding their breath and hoping that McCarthy and Biden can come to an agreement before it’s too late.

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