Saturday, August 28, 2021

Democrats mull disapproval process to break debt limit stalemate

Process would give the White House the ability to waive the federal borrowing cap unilaterally, but give Congress a veto

 

The maneuver under consideration is a resolution of disapproval process for suspending the debt limit, according to sources with knowledge of the conversations.

President Barack Obama had to send lawmakers a certification that he was raising the debt ceiling through administrative authority; that triggered the resolution of disapproval process, in which simple majorities in each chamber could vote to override the debt limit boost.

'Flying to Las Vegas' Senate Republicans have warned they will not support a debt limit increase, which needs 60 votes to pass in the 50-50 Senate.

"Democrats want Republicans to help them raise the debt limit so they can keep spending historic sums of money with zero Republican input and zero Republican votes," McConnell said on the Senate floor Aug. 9.

Democrats favor a clean debt limit increase without any conditions attached.

Democrats point out they supported debt limit suspensions when President Donald Trump was in office.

Democrats are likely to argue for a debt limit suspension to be attached to a stopgap spending bill that Congress will have to pass by Sept. 30 to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Even if Congress passed a stopgap bill with a debt limit suspension attached, it would likely be a short-term extension lasting perhaps into early next year.

Raising the debt limit also is a sensitive issue among Democrats, particularly those representing swing states with tough races next year.

Democrats could have included reconciliation instructions to raise the debt limit in the budget resolution but chose not to in part to avoid taking full responsibility for a debt limit increase.

'Quite nervous' Kumar, who's now Washington national tax services co-leader at PwC, said Republicans had more leverage over the debt limit then, since they controlled the House at the time.

https://www.rollcall.com/2021/08/27/democrats-mull-disapproval-process-to-break-debt-limit-stalemate/ 

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