House GOP whip McCarthy expects no debt surprises, deals over the weekend

The No. 3 Republican in the House said Thursday night that he didn’t expect any surprises in the deficit debate over the weekend.

“I do not see something springing this weekend,” Republican Whip Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.

McCarthy pooh-poohed reports that the White House and Republican leadership are closing fast on a deal on the budget deficit and raising the debt ceiling.

“There is no deal,” McCarthy said, using the same phrase used by the White House and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) following reports they were nearing a deal on Thursday.

McCarthy said Republicans would not rush to push a bill through in order to meet the Treasury Department’s Aug. 2 deadline. According to McCarthy, House Republicans will seek to follow their own “three-day rule” in order to allow members of Congress to debate the plan.

When Republicans took control of the lower chamber, they instituted a three-day holding rule on legislation in order to give members time to examine proposals. They have waived the rule before, including during the April budget debate, when lawmakers needed to pass legislation to keep the government funded.

“As a member of Congress, I’m going to want to read all the way through it,” McCarthy said. “And if you think this conference is going to go vote on something willy-nilly, they will not.”

McCarthy said he would expect any legislation related to the debt ceiling or deficit to spend those three days in the House and “at least three or five days” in the Senate.

Republicans will not be like the Democrats and “run it right to the floor,” McCarthy said.