Ted Cruz rips into Biden for gridlocking over GOP debt bill: 'Stop playing roulette with the American economy'
Cruz blasted Biden for being 'wildly irresponsible' on the issue
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, R., ordered Biden to "stop playing roulette with the American economy," Sunday, lashing out over his refusal to negotiate with congressional Republicans over the contentious "Limit, Save, Grow" Act that would raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion while cutting back spending to FY 2022 levels.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo, Cruz said Republicans have been willing to make concessions during the process, but Biden has remained determined to stay away from the table.
"The contrast could not be starker," he said. "The Republicans in the House are responsible and Joe Biden… what is he saying? He's saying ‘I will not talk, I will not negotiate, I will not give in on anything, anyhow, any way,’" he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}REPUBLICANS HAVE THE UPPER HAND OVER DEMS IN DEBT CEILING NEGOTIATIONS, BUDGET EXPERT SAYS
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaks during the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on October 13, 2020. (KEVIN DIETSCH/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
"What is happening is, Joe Biden is gambling. Joe Biden needs to stop playing roulette with the American economy and with the American credit limit," he continued.
Cruz continued, saying Biden is the only person who can ensure the U.S. government will never have a default, arguing that good leadership would mean promising that the country would never default on its debt.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He doesn't want to say that. Why? Because he wants to fear-monger. He wants to scare the equity markets. He wants to scare the bond markets, and what he is doing right now is wildly irresponsible."
HOUSE PASSES MCCARTHY'S DEBT CEILING BILL BY TWO VOTES, FOUR REPUBLICANS VOTE AGAINST
President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. have clashed over the debt ceiling as a House Republican-based bill takes aim at runaway spending. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
During the segment, Cruz also sang his praises for House Republicans for coming together to draft the bill and set it into motion.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"They [House Republicans] have demonstrated bold leadership. They brought the conference together… they have a very narrow majority in the House and yet the House came together. House conservatives played an active role in drafting this bill…" he said, adding that the debt ceiling bill takes aim at runaway spending, regulations and job-killing policies currently afflicting the nation.
"This bill is an exercise in being responsible," he later continued.
WALL STREET SHOULD BE ‘CONCERNED’ ABOUT DEBT LIMIT STANDOFF WITH BIDEN: MCCARTHY
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The GOP's debt ceiling bill passed the House on Wednesday, but faces an uncertain future in the Senate.
Cruz said the bill's trajectory will be determined by whether Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., decides to bring it to a vote in the Senate.
Biden has, meanwhile, announced his intentions to veto the bill if it comes across his desk.
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