Ahead of House debt ceiling vote, Biden shores up Democrats and McCarthy scrambles for GOP support

 WASHINGTON (AP) — Hard-fought to the end, the debt ceiling and budget cuts package is heading toward a crucial U.S. House vote as President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy assemble a coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans to push it to passage over fierce blowback from conservatives and some progressive dissent. 

“We’re going to pass the bill,” McCarthy said as he exited a lengthy late Tuesday night meeting at the Capitol. 

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