213 Democrats sign petition to bypass GOP on debt limit.

House Democrats Push for Debt Limit Increase

Every member of the House Democratic caucus has signed on to a discharge petition in an effort to force a vote on a debt limit increase without spending cuts or House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) backing, party leaders announced on Wednesday.

The signatures of the last final holdouts, Reps. Jared Golden (D-ME) and Ed Case (D-HI), puts the total number at 213, meaning Democratic leaders still need to find five Republicans if the petition is to be successful.

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“We just want to let you all know that we have the full Democratic caucus on the discharge petition, which is another sign of unity that we have,” said Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), the Democratic whip, during a press conference on Wednesday.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) attempted to appeal to moderate Republicans in swing districts, specifically signaling out Republicans and California and New York as potentials to sign on to the effort. “It’s now time for House Republicans to break with the extreme wave of their party and join House Democrats to put an end to the default crisis. We only need five House Republicans to do so,” Jeffries said.

Some lawmakers, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), are attempting to build a pressure campaign, calling constituents in the 18 seats represented by House Republicans that Biden won in 2020, urging them to join the discharge petition. However, there’s no appetite for this among Republicans.

Republicans have rejected the idea of a debt ceiling increase without spending preconditions. They passed legislation that pairs nearly $4.8 trillion in deficit reduction measures with a debt limit increase into the next year. The bill would freeze spending at last year’s levels for a decade and would also roll back parts of President Joe Biden’s expansive health, climate, and tax law, expand mining and fossil fuel production, and impose work requirements on social programs.

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Even if Democrats were to succeed in locking down Republican defections, the earliest a discharge petition could receive a vote is June 8 due to a waiting period after it receives the required number of signatures.

A successful petition would still likely be held up by the Senate. Despite the upper chamber being controlled by Democrats, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) appears to be keeping his party in line. Senate Republicans are backing McCarthy and aren’t likely to defect and give Democrats a chance to hike the debt ceiling without spending cuts attached.

What’s Happening?

House Democrats are pushing for a debt limit increase without spending cuts or House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s backing. Every member of the House Democratic caucus has signed on to a discharge petition in an effort to force a vote on the issue. However, Democratic leaders still need to find five Republicans if the petition is to be successful. Even if they succeed, the earliest a discharge petition could receive a vote is June 8 due to a waiting period after it receives the required number of signatures. A successful petition would still likely be held up by the Senate, where Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appears to be keeping his party in line.

What Are the Republicans Saying?

Republicans have rejected the idea of a debt ceiling increase without spending preconditions. They passed legislation that pairs nearly $4.8 trillion in deficit reduction measures with a debt limit increase into the next year. The bill would freeze spending at last year’s levels for a decade and would also roll back parts of President Joe Biden’s expansive health, climate, and tax law, expand mining and fossil fuel production, and impose work requirements on social programs. Despite appeals from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to moderate Republicans in swing districts, there’s no appetite for this among Republicans.

What’s Next?

Even if Democrats were to succeed in locking down Republican defections, a successful petition would still likely be held up by the Senate. Senate Republicans are backing McCarthy and aren’t likely to defect and give Democrats a chance to hike the debt ceiling without spending cuts attached.

• House Democrats are pushing for a debt limit increase without spending cuts or House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s backing.
• Every member of the House Democratic caucus has signed on to a discharge petition in an effort to force a vote on the issue.
• However, Democratic leaders still need to find five Republicans if the petition is to be successful.
• Even if they succeed, the earliest a discharge petition could receive a vote is June 8 due to a waiting period after it receives the required number of signatures.
• A successful petition would still likely be held up by the Senate, where Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appears to be keeping his party in line.