Democrats To Save The US Economy Alone As Schumer Moves For Majority Vote On Debt Limit

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will seek to pass an increase of the debt limit by a majority vote on Tuesday afternoon.

Schumer Says Democrats Will Raise The Debt Limit Alone

Video of Schumer speaking on the Senate floor:

Schumer said:

Last night, and this morning, the Republican Leader cited an example from the 2000s during which Republicans held unified control of government and provided the votes to increase the debt limit.

 The Republican Leader said that example was “exactly the situation we’re in now.”

 What Leader McConnell conveniently left out is that back then, there was a consent agreement, requested by the Republican Majority Leader, that cleared the path for the Senate to vote to increase the debt limit at a majority threshold—with only one party—allowing the minority party to vote no but also preventing a catastrophic default.

 Let me be clear: I am still of the belief that addressing the debt limit— which includes debts incurred by both parties—should be done in a bipartisan way.

 But let’s see if Leader McConnell truly wants what he is asking for, truly wants what he favorably looked upon as happening in the early 2000’s, to allow to happen again.

 Later this afternoon, I will ask unanimous consent for the Senate to hold a vote to increase the debt limit at a majority threshold. In other words, we would get consent that you only need 50 votes, not 60, on this vote to increase the debt limit, and that’s what happened in the past.

 It would be very similar to the process that Leader McConnell cited yesterday, favorably, which allowed for the debt limit to be increased without the minority party providing any of the votes needed to do so.

 So if Republicans want to abscond from their responsibilities—not vote to pay the debt they incurred—so be it. That’s a bad thing, that’s a bad precedent. But this is the way out. It is a way out.

 It’s a straightforward proposition: if Republicans really want to see the debt ceiling raised without providing a single vote, I’m prepared to hold that vote.

By Senate rules, Majority Leader Schumer needs unanimous consent to proceed with a majority-only vote on raising the debt limit.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans have stated that they want Democrats to raise the debt limit on their own with no Republican votes, so if Republicans block the unanimous consent request, it will be the same as the Senate GOP declaring their support of trashing the economy with a default.

Democrats Will Save The Economy From Republican Sabotage

If Republicans don’t block the unanimous consent request, Democrats will vote to raise the debt limit, and there will be no default.

The next step, which Democrats will also likely have to do on their own is passing a continuing resolution to keep the government funded and open.

Democrats are stepping up to save America from Republican sabotage, and if Republicans stand in their way, the GOP will own the destruction of the economy.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

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Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association

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