Schumer claims McConnell is standing in the way of debt deal

The Senate’s No. 3 Democrat on Tuesday said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMcConnell focuses on confirming judicial nominees with COVID-19 talks stalled McConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security Warren, Schumer introduce plan for next president to cancel ,000 in student debt MORE (R-Ky.) is standing in the way of a deal to raise the debt ceiling.

“His ‘my way or the highway’ approach is what is standing in the way of getting an agreement,” said Sen. Charles SchumerChuck SchumerMcConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security Warren, Schumer introduce plan for next president to cancel ,000 in student debt Schumer lashes out at Trump over 'blue states' remark: 'What a disgrace' MORE (D-N.Y.). “The person standing in the way right now is Senator McConnell.”

Schumer reacted to McConnell's meeting with President Obama on Monday in which McConnell warned he would not accept tax hikes as part of a deal to raise the debt ceiling, in part because a package that included them would be “politically impossible” in Congress.

“Just yesterday my Republican colleague drew a line in the sand on cutting wasteful spending in the tax code, calling elimination of special interest giveaways 'politically impossible,' ” said Schumer. “Politically impossible, really?”

“You haven't heard such strident language from the other leaders,” continued Schumer. “When he says take everything we want and nothing you want, we will not get an agreement. That is what he is saying.”

Schumer concluded by urging McConnell to abandon his hard-line approach.

“Meet us part of the way here,” said Schumer. “Don't say 'my way or no way.' Because that is too risky.”

Obama and congressional leaders are trying to craft a deal to raise the debt ceiling before Aug. 2, when the Treasury Department says the U.S. will be at risk of defaulting on its debts. Obama met with Speaker John BoehnerJohn Andrew BoehnerLongtime House parliamentarian to step down Five things we learned from this year's primaries Bad blood between Pelosi, Meadows complicates coronavirus talks MORE (R-Ohio) last week to discuss a debt deal and followed up on Monday by meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry ReidHarry Mason ReidSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Mellman: The likely voter sham Bottom line MORE (D-Nev.) and McConnell.

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Tax increases have emerged as the central obstacle to reaching an agreement. BoehnerJohn Andrew BoehnerLongtime House parliamentarian to step down Five things we learned from this year's primaries Bad blood between Pelosi, Meadows complicates coronavirus talks MORE and McConnell insist tax hikes will not be part of any deal, but Democrats want to eliminate some tax provisions for corporations and the very wealthy.