Democratic senators urge Biden to invoke 14th amendment to prevent debt default – as it happened

Senators want to use amendment that says validity of US debt cannot be questioned, arguing Republicans not acting in good faith

Joe Biden says he is confident" that a deal will be reached to increase the debt ceiling and avoid a US government default.

I'm confident that we'll get the agreement on the budget, that America will not default," the president said in a speech at the White House following his meeting yesterday afternoon with the Republican House speaker, Kevin McCarthy, and other leaders of Congress.