Senate approves bill raising the debt ceiling until early December

Mitch McConnell.
(Image credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

With a 50-48 vote, the Senate on Thursday night approved a bill that raises the debt ceiling through early December. The measure now goes to the House, where Democratic leaders are expected to quickly call lawmakers back for a vote.

The Treasury warned that if action wasn't taken by Oct. 18, the result could be catastrophic, with the United States defaulting on its debt for the first time. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) led the GOP resistance against raising the debt limit, but on Wednesday he relented and offered a deal that grants a reprieve until early December.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.