Senator Chris Murphy says the GOP is ‘addicted to chaos’

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said Sunday that the tense debt limit talks between the White House and Congress are just the latest example of the GOP being “addicted to chaos.”

President Joe Biden and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) reached an “agreement in principle” over the weekend on legislation to increase the national debt ceiling and prevent a federal default, after weeks of negotiations with little public progress.

While most details of the bill have yet to be released, the deal reportedly includes raising the debt ceiling for two years; put a 1% cap on non-defense spending for fiscal year 2025; fully funded healthcare for veterans; and increased work requirements for adults without disabilities who use some government assistance programs.

“I think it’s important to note that we’re still learning the details of this deal. And I’ll reserve judgment until I’ve read it,” Murphy said. on MSNBC’s “Inside With Jen Psaki.” “But let’s be clear: I want to underscore something you said from the beginning, which is that an enormous amount of damage has already been done to the economy and to this country.”

“I just got back from overseas, and all the international news outlets have been leading, for the last week, with stories of this Republican-imposed chaos in the United States,” said the Democrat, who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee. continued.

“This Republican Party is addicted to chaos: the entire Trump presidency, January 6, and now this threat of default and sinking the American economy. It’s just terrible for the country and for our reputation abroad, for our ability to attract investment.”

McCarthy said the House will vote on the bill on Wednesday, giving the Senate some time to review it before June 5, when Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the United States could default if lawmakers don’t resolve the debt crisis. Economists have said the country could face economic chaos and a likely recession if the Treasury Department defaults on its debt.

“Part of the reason I was reluctant to get involved in these negotiations is that I think there is a large section of the Republican Party that really wants us to default,” Murphy said, adding that those Republicans are “mostly in the House, but some in the Senate.

“And you are beginning to see the Freedom Caucus already rallying the troops against this deal. My concern is that there are not enough Republicans in the House yet to get this deal done,” he continued. “So yes, there are many more responsible voices in the Republican Party in the Senate, but it won’t affect us if McCarthy can’t present his caucus.”

Last week, right-wing Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.) compared debt limit talks to a hostage negotiation, reportedly saying that Conservative lawmakers “don’t feel we should be negotiating with our hostage.” Asked what Republicans were bringing to the table to incentivize Democrats to agree to a deal, House Financial Services Chairman Patrick McHenry (RN.C.) said: “The ceiling increase Debt”.