Biden Lauds McCarthy In Rare Oval Office Address: 'We Were Able To Get Along And Get Things Done'

In a rare display of bipartisanship, President Joe Biden praised Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Friday for reaching a consensus on the debt ceiling deal.

What Happened: Biden, in his prime time remarks from the Oval Office, said, "I want to commend Speaker McCarthy. You know, he and I and our teams, we were able to get along and get things done."

"We were straightforward with one another, completely honest with one another, respectful of one another. Both sides operated in good faith, both sides kept their word."

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Biden's comments came after the House and the Senate passed the debt ceiling bill with an overwhelming majority on Thursday, just days before default. 

The president will be signing the bill into law on Saturday.

Biden also praised Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, as well as Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, for acting "responsibly" and said the votes in both chambers were "far more bipartisan than anyone thought was possible."

"It was critical to reach an agreement, and it's very good news for the American people," Biden said, adding, "No one got everything they wanted, but the American people got what they needed. We averted an economic crisis and an economic collapse."

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Why It Matters: After weeks of intense negotiations, Biden and the House GOP leader agreed to increase the debt ceiling limit. However, both Democrats and Republicans have expressed opposition to the final deal, albeit for different reasons.

The new plan includes various provisions such as extending the suspension of the debt ceiling until the end of the following year, establishing fresh spending limits, and modifying work requirements for certain federal assistance programs.

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