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House Democrats plan to begin collecting signatures Wednesday for a discharge petition to raise the debt ceiling, a long-running procedural measure intended to sidestep House Republican leaders, who are negotiating with the White House on awarding several conditions, including deep spending cuts. .
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (DN.Y.), who previously characterized the measure as a last-ditch effort to avoid a catastrophic default, endorsed the request Wednesday in a letter to Democratic colleagues, though who expressed hope that “a real path” still exists for a bipartisan solution.
“It is important that all legislative options are pursued in the event that no agreement is reached,” Jeffries wrote.
He asked that all members “make every effort” to sign the petition on Wednesday.
To force a vote on a “clean” bill to raise the debt limit, the petition would require 218 signatures. Democrats would need at least five Republicans to counter their party’s leadership, assuming all Democrats in the chamber support the effort, which is not a given.
Not all Democrats are expected to sign the discharge petition Wednesday. Some have said they want to see how the negotiations unfold and details of what legislation is ultimately attached emerge before it is signed.
Even if Democrats were successful in the House, it’s not clear that a clean bill would advance in the Senate. Republicans have indicated they support House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in his move to force spending cuts. Most legislation needs 60 votes to advance in the Senate, meaning some Republican support would be needed.
Nor is it clear that the process, which is cumbersome, can be completed before the nation defaults.
The petition effort follows a White House meeting Tuesday between President Biden and congressional leaders.
Both Biden and McCarthy expressed hope that a bipartisan deal could be reached before the June 1 deadline to raise the nation’s debt limit, though significant differences remain between the two parties before that an agreement can be reached.
While White House staff and the spokesman’s office are picking up the negotiations, both directors were active on social media Wednesday seeking to frame their case publicly.
“If America defaulted on its debt, nearly 8 million Americans could lose their jobs, their retirement accounts would be devastated, and we would fall into recession.” Biden warned on Twitterand adds: “It’s not an option.”
If America defaulted on its debt, nearly 8 million Americans could lose their jobs, their retirement accounts would be devastated, and we would fall into recession.
It’s not an option.
Party differences haven’t stopped Congress from avoiding default before, and they shouldn’t now. pic.twitter.com/m9kJ4r2tVC
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 17, 2023
In a tweet from the House Republicans’ Twitter account, GOP leaders noted that they had already approved a bill that includes an increase in the debt limit as well as steep cuts in federal spending, the rollback of programs ‘green energy and the imposition of work requirements for certain beneficiaries of benefit programs, among other provisions.
“The American people know that House Republicans have done their job to pass sensible legislation to raise the debt ceiling.” said the tweet. “We’re all waiting for Joe Biden and the extreme Democrats to do the same.”
The American people know that House Republicans have done their job to pass sensible legislation to raise the debt ceiling.
We are all waiting for Joe Biden and the extreme Democrats to do the same.
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) May 17, 2023
House Democrats publicly announced their intention to roll out a discharge petition earlier this month.
Before Tuesday’s meeting at the White House, leaders said they were unsure whether to tell their 213 Democrats to sign the petition, saying they would make the decision based on how the meeting went.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Rep. Pete Aguilar (Calif.), chairman of the Democratic caucus, described the request as a “glass-breaking” option.
Democratic leaders decided late Tuesday night to tell their caucus to sign the discharge petition to keep pressure on moderate Republicans, according to two people familiar with the decision, who spoke on condition of anonymity to share discussions. internal
Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, is expected to introduce the request Wednesday morning after a phone call in which Jeffries told him to proceed.
Several moderate Republicans have told The Washington Post that while they are open to signing the petition if Congress and the White House cannot reach an agreement, they are hesitant to support it because the discharge petition does not include a legislative language indicating how the debt ceiling would be raised.
Leigh Ann Caldwell contributed to this report.
