The Republican-majority House of Representatives voted Wednesday on a text providing for an unprecedented cut in public spending in exchange for an increase in the US debt ceiling. It was also a test for the "speaker" of the House, to prove his ability to assemble when necessary a party torn by centrifugal forces.
By succeeding, the Republican leader is increasing the pressure on Joe Biden, who launched Tuesday in the campaign for his re-election in 2024. A default "would cause an economic and financial catastrophe," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned again on Tuesday.