McCarthy says he sees “progress” on a spending deal

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy expressed optimism Friday, saying a deal on the debt ceiling could come soon.

McCarthy told reporters, "I'm going to work as hard as we can to try to get this done to get more progress today and finish the job. I'm a total optimist."

Negotiators have been deadlocked on the issue for weeks while Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has repeatedly warned that the U.S. could default on its financial responsibilities if a deal is not signed by next Thursday.