Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says there will be 'a clean debt ceiling' increase

As the need to raise the debt ceiling looms over Democrats and Republicans, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Sunday there will be “a clean debt ceiling“ increase.

“The party that holds out with brinksmanship and says ‘I won’t renew it unless you do what I want’ loses,” Schumer said on ABC’s This Week. “We’re gonna win this fight and it’s gonna be a clean debt ceiling.”

House Republicans, led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., have been demanding spending cuts from Democrats and President Joe Biden as part of any increase to the nation's capacity to borrow.

After the Treasury Department began using "extraordinary measures" in January to continue paying the government’s debts, talks began in Congress about raising the debt ceiling in order to avoid an economic crisis. Biden and Democrats have so far remained steadfast on the issue, emphasizing they will not negotiate with Republicans.

“We have a clear position. Do it clean. Do it without brinksmanship. Do it without this risk of hostage-taking where things could blow up,” warned Schumer.

Earlier this month, McCarthy and Biden held a private one-on-one meeting to discuss raising the debt ceiling. Speaking to reporters outside the White House, McCarthy expressed optimism and said "there's an opportunity here to come to an agreement on both sides."

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When Biden said “some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset,” in his State of the Union address Tuesday while urging Congress to raise the debt ceiling, the president reignited debate on specific spending cuts.

McCarthy has said the two programs are off the table in negotiations and Republicans dismissed Biden’s claims.

Biden has singled out Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., for a proposal he put forward that would sunset all government programs, including Social Security and Medicare, after five years. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., disavowed the proposal publicly on Friday.

"Unfortunately, that was the Scott plan, that's not a Republican plan," McConnell said on a Kentucky radio program. Other Republicans are also distancing themselves from the idea that they would support cutting the programs.

'That’s not a Republican plan': McConnell distances GOP from Scott on Social Security, Medicare sunset plan

“They keep bringing up this canard about Republicans wanting to end or cut or put on the chopping block Social Security, nothing could be further from the truth.” said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures.

House Republicans have yet to put forward their plan on exactly what spending cuts they are proposing in talks with the president and congressional Democrats, but Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chair of the House Oversight Committee, told ABC’s This Week that any plan will not include any cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

“We’re not gonna cut Social Security or Medicare. We’ve been very clear about that.” Comer said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Schumer on raising the debt ceiling: 'We're gonna win this fight'