White House Intensifies Outreach to Congressional Democrats on Biden's Debt Ceiling Deal

White House actively engages Democrats for Biden's debt ceiling deal, utilizing intellectual appeal and briefings. Administration officials make calls to House Democrats, with Senate outreach starting soon. Zoom briefing boosts clarity and confidence, but communication improvements acknowledged. Optimism for bill passage, House vote scheduled for Wednesday.

White House Seeks Debt Ceiling Deal.

The White House is intensifying its efforts to engage congressional Democrats in support of President Biden's debt ceiling deal with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. With Democratic votes crucial for passing the bill in the narrowly divided House, the administration is focusing on intellectual appeal rather than typical legislative tactics. 

Briefing materials and talking points were shared with Democratic lawmakers, followed by Zoom briefings where Biden aides provided details of the deal. Additional issue-specific briefings are planned, covering spending levels, permitting rules for energy projects, and work requirements for welfare recipients. Administration officials, including Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, have made calls to over 60 House Democrats. Senate Democrats will also be reached out to starting Monday. 

The Zoom briefing helped clarify the bill's details and increased Democrats' confidence in voting for it, while some expressed frustration over being left out of debt ceiling talks. White House officials acknowledged the need for better communication moving forward. Democrats are optimistic about securing enough votes from Republicans and progressive Democrats to pass the bill, though some concerns remain. The House is scheduled to vote on the debt ceiling bill on Wednesday after returning to session on Tuesday.