Biden proposes raising debt ceiling with 14th Amendment, bypassing GOP.

President Biden Considers Using 14th Amendment to Raise Debt Ceiling

President Joe Biden is exploring the possibility of raising the debt ceiling unilaterally, without the support of the GOP. During a press conference at the G-7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, Biden stated that he believes he has the authority to do so under the 14th Amendment.

The Little-Known Clause

The 14th Amendment includes a clause that reads, “The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned.”

Of particular importance to Biden’s argument is the final clause, “shall not be questioned.” Some interpret this to mean that the president can act unilaterally to prevent the nation from defaulting on its debt, even without the approval of Congress.

A Historical Context

The “Civil War amendments” were added to the 14th Amendment to ensure that newly reconquered southern states would not question the debts of the United States, particularly those incurred during the war. While some have suggested that this clause could be used more broadly to allow the executive to bypass Congress in raising the debt ceiling, no U.S. president has ever done so.

Biden himself acknowledged that it is unclear whether this approach could be implemented in time to avoid a default, as it may be subject to legal challenges.

Treasury Secretary’s Response

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has previously dismissed calls to use the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling, stating that it is Congress’s responsibility to address the issue.

• Bold text: Biden believes he has the authority to raise the debt ceiling unilaterally under the 14th Amendment.
• Lists: The 14th Amendment includes a little-known clause that some interpret as giving the president the power to act unilaterally to prevent a default.
• H2 tags: Use of the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling would be unprecedented.
• H3 tags: The clause in question was added to the 14th Amendment to address concerns about the debts incurred during the Civil War.