Democrats accepted Republicans' debt ceiling offer. Now what?
Democrats officially accepted a short-term debt ceiling solution as proposed by Republicans, who will allow a short-term increase to the government's borrowing limit to pass without a GOP filibuster, Politico reported Thursday. However, Republicans reportedly have yet to agree how exactly they will allow the deal to pass the chamber.
More specifically, at least one of them has declined to go down without a fight — Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has reportedly signaled to GOP leaders "he will not allow Democrats to evade a filibuster, potentially sending the Republicans back to the drawing board," writes Politico. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) reportedly issued objections as well, per NBC News.
In a private party meeting, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) reportedly "prevailed" on members to "put the short-term increase behind them" and instead focus on their crusade against Democrats' social spending package, per one attendee. "Any one senator" could derail the plan.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"As you might expect, it's not an easy one to whip," said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the GOP whip.
Added Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.): "The goal is to not have [Republican] fingerprints on lifting the debt ceiling."
The deal as struck by McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) punts the debt limit debacle a few months by raising the nation's credit limit to $480 billion through Dec. 3. After that, Democrats will have to come up with another plan, or go the reconcilation route, as insisted by Republicans but decried by Democrats.
Schumer has announced a debate on the extension will happen Thursday evening, in which 10 Republican votes will be required to end debate before Democrats can then pass the measure with a simple majority, per The Hill.
-
Syria’s Kurds: abandoned by their US allyTalking Point Ahmed al-Sharaa’s lightning offensive against Syrian Kurdistan belies his promise to respect the country’s ethnic minorities
-
The ‘mad king’: has Trump finally lost it?Talking Point Rambling speeches, wind turbine obsession, and an ‘unhinged’ letter to Norway’s prime minister have caused concern whether the rest of his term is ‘sustainable’
-
5 highly hypocritical cartoons about the Second AmendmentCartoons Artists take on Kyle Rittenhouse, the blame game, and more
-
Trump sues IRS for $10B over tax record leaksSpeed Read The president is claiming ‘reputational and financial harm’ from leaks of his tax information between 2018 and 2020
-
Trump, Senate Democrats reach DHS funding dealSpeed Read The deal will fund most of the government through September and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks
-
Fed holds rates steady, bucking Trump pressureSpeed Read The Federal Reserve voted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged
-
Judge slams ICE violations amid growing backlashSpeed Read ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ said a federal judge after the agency violated at least 96 court orders
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
-
Democrats pledge Noem impeachment if not firedSpeed Read Trump is publicly defending the Homeland Security secretary
-
Can anyone stop Donald Trump?Today's Big Question US president ‘no longer cares what anybody thinks’ so how to counter his global strongman stance?
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
