White House press secretary Jen Psaki says she is 'not sure what American ... is concerned about the debt limit'

Congress is expected to raise the country's debt limit, but when White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked what she would say to those who believe that the nation's legislature is once again kicking the can, she said that she is not aware of Americans who are concerned about the debt limit.

"I'm not sure what American person is saying that or is concerned about the debt limit, but maybe there is somebody you've met on the street, I don't know," Psaki said.

The Senate voted 50-49 to increase the debt limit by $2.5 trillion, sending the issue to the House — no Republicans voted in favor of the measure, according to the New York Times. If the move is approved and signed by the president, it will prevent a U.S. default for awhile, until the debt begins approaching the new limit at some point in the future.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) had said that the measure would push the issue into 2023.

"The debt limit is the total amount of money that the United States government is authorized to borrow to meet its existing legal obligations, including Social Security and Medicare benefits, military salaries, interest on the national debt, tax refunds, and other payments," according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

While the measure passed in the Senate without any GOP support, the AP noted that Republicans had a role in putting Democrats in the position of being able to approve the debt limit increase without GOP votes.

The outlet reported that "an amendment was made to an unrelated Medicare bill that passed last week with Republican votes. It created a one-time, fast-track process for raising the debt limit that allowed Democrats to do so with a simple majority, bypassing the 60 vote threshold to avoid a GOP filibuster."

The AP reported that GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah "said the process was intended to make the Republican votes last week 'appear as something other than helping Democrats raise the debt ceiling,' which he said Republican leadership 'committed, in writing no less, not to do.'"

In response to Psaki's comment, Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida noted that many Americans are quite concerned about the debt limit.

"I encourage @PressSec to leave her ivory tower and speak with everyday Americans who are, in fact, VERY concerned with the debt limit and the reckless agenda of Biden and Democrats in power on Capitol Hill. Feel free to start in SW Florida; they will have A LOT to say about it," Donalds tweeted.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds news conference (FULL - 12/14)youtu.be