(Washington) US President Joe Biden expressed optimism on Monday that Congress would pass an agreement this week to avoid a US default.

“I would never say I’m confident about what Congress is going to do, but I have a good feeling,” he told reporters before leaving the White House.

He said he spoke to a number of elected officials on Monday, as well as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and “lots of other people.”

“And it looks good. We’ll see when the voting starts,” he said.

The debt deal is due to be considered by Congress this week, with the Republican opposition-dominated House of Representatives due to vote on it on Wednesday.

Then it will be the turn of the Senate, where the Democrats have a narrow majority.

After marathon negotiations, Biden struck a deal with the House Republican leadership over the weekend to raise the US debt ceiling in exchange for budget cuts to avert a default. which could take place, according to the Treasury, as early as June 5.