House gives broad bipartisan approval to bill raising debt limit, sending it to Senate


The House voted Wednesday night to suspend the debt limit until Jan. 2, 2025, and avoid a catastrophic default as soon as Monday, The 314-117 vote sends the bill to the Senate, where leaders plan to get it to President Biden's desk by the end of the week. Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) negotiated the legislation last weekend, then spend the past few days corralling votes from centrists in each party. In the end, 149 Republicans and 165 Democrats vote in favor of the legislation, while 71 Republicans and 46 Democrats vote no.
The legislation, along with suspending the debt limit until after the 2024 election, proposes measures to reduce the deficit by $1.5 trillion over 10 years, according to Congressional Budget Office projections. Hard-right Republicans claimed they wanted more spending cuts while Democrats criticized measure to approve a West Virginia natural gas pipeline and add food aid work requirements for people 50 to 54 — though new exemptions for veterans, homeless Americans, and people leaving foster care would actually make more people eligible for food stamps than under current policies, the CBO estimated.
"Neither side got everything it wanted," Biden said. "I have been clear that the only path forward is a bipartisan compromise that can earn the support of both parties. This agreement meets that test." McCarthy called the bill a first step toward reducing the federal deficit. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) pointed out that McCarthy needed Democratic votes to both pass the bill and an earlier vote rule get it to the floor. "Once again, House Democrats to the rescue to avoid a dangerous default," he said.
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.
At one point Wednesday, with the bill heading toward defeat, Jeffries held up a green card and a group of Democrats quickly voted yes on the bill. That Democratic support came with a price, four Democrats told Axios, in the form of a side deal between McCarthy and Jeffries. McCarthy said earlier Wednesday he would not cut a deal to secure Democratic votes for the bill, but The Washington Post reports that Jeffries won "a private pledge for concessions from McCarthy on legislation considered this summer or fall," while Axios says the concessions involve leveling up earmarks for Democratic districts to put them on par with GOP districts.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Sabrina Carpenter: Pop’s clown princess
Feature The pop star shows humor in her latest album
-
6 sought-after homes in San Francisco
Feature Featuring a 1900 painted lady Victorian North of the Panhandle and views of the Golden Gate Bridge in Russian Hill
-
Film reviews: The Long Walk, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, and The Baltimorons
Feature Young men must keep moving or else, the avowed capper to a beloved British series, and an unlikely romance takes hold on Christmas Eve
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants