House Republicans narrowly pass debt ceiling bill


House Republicans passed a debt ceiling bill on Wednesday that cuts federal spending and rolls back major parts of President Biden's domestic agenda.
The debt ceiling is the amount of money the government is authorized to borrow to pay its bills, and if action isn't taken soon, the U.S. Treasury could default on its bills. The legislation, which narrowly passed with a 217-215 vote, raises the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion or through the end of March 2024, whichever comes first. It also caps federal spending, focusing its cuts on health care, education, science, and labor programs; repeals tax credits for clean technologies and electric vehicles; and ends Biden's plan to offer student loan relief for millions of borrowers.
"We've done our job," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said after the vote, adding that Biden can "no longer ignore" negotiations with House Republicans. In a statement, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reacted to the legislation, saying, "President Biden will never force middle class and working families to bear the burden of tax cuts for the wealthiest, as this bill does. The president has made clear this bill has no chance of becoming law."
Subscribe to 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.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) agreed, calling the bill "dead on arrival," and accused House Republicans of "hostage taking" and bringing the U.S. "dangerously closer to defaulting." Now is the time for Biden and McCarthy to come together and reach an agreement, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters, or "we'll be at a standoff. And we shouldn't do that to the country."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The new Gwada negative blood type
Under The Radar Rare discovery means a woman is the only person on the planet who's compatible solely with herself
-
June 29 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include the AI genie, Iran saving face, and bad language bombs
-
A tall ship adventure in the Mediterranean
The Week Recommends Sailing aboard this schooner and exploring Portugal, Spain and Monaco is a 'magical' experience
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Supreme Court lets states ax Planned Parenthood funds
Speed Read The court ruled that Planned Parenthood cannot sue South Carolina over the state's effort to deny it funding
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Is Trump sidelining Congress' war powers?
Today's Big Question The Iran attack renews a long-running debate
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders
-
Mamdani upsets Cuomo in NYC mayoral primary
Speed Read Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani beat out Andrew Cuomo in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary