McConnell privately urged GOP senators to oppose raising the debt ceiling

Leader of the minority in the Senate Mitch mcconnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellTrump Seeks Challenger For McConnell As Senate GOP Leader: President Budget Report: Tackling Debt Ceiling “A Ridiculous Position To Be” Buckle Your Belt For More Trump, With The kind permission of the Democratic Party MORE (R-Ky.) Privately urged Republican senators to vote against raising the debt ceiling as Congress heads for a fiscal cliff next month.

McConnell’s private request – confirmed to The Hill by a GOP senator and leadership aide – highlights how personally invested he is in the deadlock against Democrats over the debt ceiling, and comes as he has publicly warned that Republicans will not provide the votes necessary to increase or suspend this.

His. John kennedyJohn Neely KennedyPLUS (R-La.) Told The Hill that McConnell had privately asked Republicans in recent weeks to vote against increasing the debt ceiling, calling the speech to GOP senators “I want you to vote on this. particular way”.

“He’s not bluffing,” Kennedy said of McConnell’s pledge that Republicans won’t help raise the debt ceiling.

A GOP executive assistant confirmed that McConnell had privately urged Republicans to oppose the increase in the debt ceiling. The aide noted that McConnell received a “standing ovation” from GOP senators when he explained what their position would be.

McConnell’s decision to rely on GOP senators, which the aide and Kennedy noted had happened in recent weeks, comes as Congress is expected to raise the cap next month to avoid the default.

Congress, under the then Trump administration, suspended the debt ceiling in 2019. The borrowing limit was reinstated on August 1, but the Treasury Department has since used “extraordinary measures” to maintain the solvency of the government.

Republicans try to force Democrats to ‘own’ increased debt amid frustration over Democrats’ plans to pass $ 3.5 trillion spending bill as part of reconciliation budget, a process that allows them to bypass the need for 60 votes in the Senate.

Republicans want Democrats to raise the debt ceiling as part of this spending package.

But Democrats have so far refused to tie the two, arguing that the debt ceiling vote should be bipartisan.

Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiBiden pushes Democrats back on taxes Yarmuth and Clyburn suggest .5T package could be lightened From partisan fights and follies, or why Democrats should follow Manchin, not Sanders MORE (D-California) and Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerBiden discusses agenda with Schumer and Pelosi ahead of pivotal week CEOs urge Congress to raise debt ceiling or risk ‘avoidable crisis’ (DN.Y.) instead announced on Monday that they would include a suspension of the debt ceiling until 2022 in a short-term government funding bill that Congress is due to pass by the end of the month in order to ‘avoid a closure.

While Democrats can pass the package on their own in the House, they will need the support of at least 10 GOP senators to overcome a threat of filibustering in the Senate.

They seem, for now, unlikely to overcome this hurdle, but have not indicated what their next steps would be.

Kennedy said on Monday he would vote “probably” for the finance-debt package because it will also include natural disaster relief. Louisiana, Kennedy’s home state, was devastated by Hurricane Ida earlier this month and is also feeling the effects of Hurricane Nicholas, which made landfall in Texas last week.

But other Republicans are unlikely to follow. Forty-six GOP senators signed a letter last month warning they would not support raising the debt ceiling, either as a stand-alone bill or tied to something else.

His. Richard shelbyRichard Craig Shelby The Crypto Debate Is Set To Come Back In Force Press: Why Is Mo Brooks Still In The House? Eshoo urges Pelosi to change ‘problematic’ crypto regulatory language in infrastructure bill PLUS (Alabama), the top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, did not sign the letter but said he would oppose further debt ceiling resolution. Senator Susan collinsSusan Margaret Collins Welcome to Zero Point of Climate Chaos A Two-House Tale: Trump’s Power Holds in the House, Diminishes in the Biparty Senate Blip: The Infrastructure Deal Is The Last Of Its Kind Without Systemic Change MORE (R-Maine), who also did not sign the letter, said Monday that she could support a “clean” funding bill, that is, without the debt attached to it.

McConnell also said on Monday that Republicans would support a short-term funding bill – but only if Democrats remove the debt ceiling from the legislation.

“Senate Republicans would support a clean, ongoing resolution that included appropriate disaster relief and targeted aid to Afghans. We will not support legislation that increases the debt ceiling,” McConnell said from the Senate.