Congressional leaders negotiating over a deal to lift the debt ceiling and keep away from the primary default within the nation’s historical past are working in opposition to an unforgiving drive: the legislative calendar.

President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s assembly on Tuesday afternoon to attempt to break their deadlock over rising the cap comes simply over two weeks earlier than the projected “X-date” of June 1 — the day the Treasury Department has projected it may not pay the United States authorities’s money owed.

Even if they can attain a deal, Mr. McCarthy and Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the bulk chief, would wish to navigate laws reflecting that settlement via their respective chambers — and the times left to take action are quickly dwindling.

At least for now, the House is scheduled to be in session — current within the Capitol and able to vote — for under six extra days earlier than the top of the month. The Senate is about for simply 5, and is scheduled to be out of Washington starting on Monday forward of the Memorial Day weekend.

House and Senate leaders may cancel lawmakers’ scheduled recesses, scuttling Memorial Day plans and holding them in Washington to vote on a deal. But Mr. Biden’s schedule is one other complication: He’s set to depart for Japan on Wednesday to attend the Group of seven assembly, and afterward plans to journey to Australia.

All that leaves valuable little time for putting a deal, enshrining it in laws, maneuvering it previous procedural hurdles and cobbling collectively the votes to clear it for Mr. Biden’s signature.

Senators are ready to chop brief their Memorial Day recess and return to Washington if it turns into essential to approve a deal on the debt restrict, Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the second-ranking Republican, advised reporters on Tuesday.

“Members are prepared for all kinds of different scenarios right now,” he stated, noting that “the stakes get really high” if negotiators can not strike a deal by this weekend.

Mr. Schumer referred to as a default the “nightmare scenario.”

“We all know these things are fast approaching the closer we get to June 1,” he stated. “Congress cannot, under any circumstances, fail its obligation to protect the full faith and credit of the United States.”

Karoun Demirjian contributed reporting.