Debt ceiling vote

US House Prepares to Vote on Debt Ceiling Bill

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The United States House of Representatives is preparing for a crucial vote on a bill to raise the US debt ceiling. The purpose of this bill is to prevent a potential default by Monday if immediate action is not taken.

President Biden warns that a failure to address this issue could result in a severe economic crisis. The bill encompasses various provisions, such as imposing caps on government spending, streamlining permitting processes for special energy projects, and expanding work requirements for food aid programs.

If passed, the bill would eliminate the debt ceiling until January 1, 2025, effectively postponing the contentious matter until after the 2024 presidential election. The success of this bipartisan deal hinges on the support of both Kevin McCarthy’s Republicans and President Biden’s Democrats.

Debt Ceiling Bill

The US House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on Wednesday regarding a bill that aims to raise the government’s debt ceiling, which currently stands at $31.4 trillion. This vote holds great significance as it is crucial in averting a destabilizing default that could occur as early as next week if Congress fails to take action.

With Republicans holding a slim majority in the House, 222-213, the bipartisan deal necessitates support from both Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s Republicans and President Joe Biden’s Democrats to secure its passage. Several members from both parties objected to significant portions of the bill, adding to the complexity of the situation.

Speaker McCarthy expresses confidence that the bill will pass, telling reporters, “It’s going to become law.”

House to Vote on Bill to Lift US Debt Ceiling

President Biden emphasizes the consequences of a failure to act, warning on Twitter, “Our bipartisan budget agreement prevents the worst possible crisis: a default for the first time in our nation’s history – an economic recession, devastated retirement accounts, and the loss of millions of jobs.”

As investors eagerly await the outcome of the vote, Wall Street’s main indexes open slightly lower on Wednesday.

In a preliminary procedural vote held by the House Rules Committee on Tuesday, the measure was cleared for debate in the full House on Wednesday. The committee voted 7-6 to advance the bipartisan deal, with opposition from two far-right Republicans and all four Democrats.

President Biden Urges Support for Debt Ceiling Bill

It is important to note that the solid Democratic opposition in the committee does not necessarily indicate how the party members would vote on the bill itself.

The proposed legislation seeks to suspend the US debt limit until January 1, 2025, allowing President Biden and lawmakers to temporarily set aside this politically sensitive issue until after the presidential election in November 2024. Additionally, the bill includes measures to cap specific government spending over the next two years, expedite the permitting process for specific energy projects, reclaim unused COVID-19 funds, and broaden work requirements for additional recipients of food aid programs.

The Treasury Department has warned that without an increase in the debt ceiling, it will be unable to fulfill all of the government’s financial obligations by Monday.

During the House Rules Committee debate on Tuesday, Republican Representative Chip Roy expressed dissatisfaction, stating that the bill failed to achieve the substantial budget savings that many conservatives had hoped for.

He further criticized the bill for not reversing significant achievements of the Biden administration, such as substantial spending on combating climate change. Roy questioned the benefits of the proposed legislation, saying, “How on Earth is this going to be beneficial?”

Crucial House Vote on US Debt Ceiling Bill

However, reflecting the divisions within the party, Representative Erin Houchin countered Roy’s remarks by highlighting that, despite Democratic control of the White House and Senate, the bill would still result in significant spending cuts favored by Republicans. She addressed her fellow House Republicans, stating, “We are certainly punching above our weight.”

The Congressional Budget Office, a non-partisan entity, released a statement on Tuesday indicating that the legislation would result in $1.5 trillion in savings over a decade.

Should the bill successfully pass the House, it will proceed to the Senate, where the debate and voting process could extend into the weekend, particularly if any of the 100 senators attempt to slow down its progress.

Senators have been solidifying their positions on the matter, with Republican Mitt Romney expressing his support for the deal and mentioning that others he had spoken to share his views. In a somewhat whimsical analogy, Romney remarked, “When I was eight years old, I didn’t get all the Christmas presents I might have hoped for, but I got more than I expected,” alluding to the compromise between Biden and McCarthy.

Importance of Addressing the US Debt Ceiling

Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, stated that he is still reviewing the bill’s details. He expressed concern about the potential negative impact on vital research conducted by the National Institutes of Health, which he considers the “premier medical research agency of the world.”

Shalanda Young, the White House Budget Director and one of Biden’s lead negotiators urged Congress to pass the bill, emphasizing that it represents a compromise where no party achieves all of its desired outcomes. Young addressed a news conference, stating, “I want to be clear: This agreement represents a compromise, which means no one gets everything that they want and hard choices had to be made.”

In a win for Republicans, the bill would redirect some funding away from the Internal Revenue Service. However, the White House ensures this shift will not undermine tax enforcement.

Procedural Advances in the House Rules Committee

President Biden can also highlight some gains secured through the deal. The bill preserves his critical infrastructure and green-energy initiatives, and the spending cuts and work requirements are considerably less than what Republicans initially aimed for.

Republicans argue that significant spending cuts are necessary to curb the growth of the national debt, which currently amounts to approximately the economy’s annual output, reaching $31.4 trillion. Government forecasts indicate that interest payments on this debt will increasingly consume a significant portion of the budget due to rising healthcare and retirement costs associated with an aging population. However, the bipartisan deal does not address these rapidly expanding programs.

Most of the savings proposed in the bill result from capping spending on domestic programs, including housing, education, scientific research, and other forms of discretionary spending. Meanwhile, military spending will be permitted to rise over the next two years.

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The debt-ceiling standoff has prompted rating agencies to issue warnings regarding a potential downgrade of US debt, a foundation for the global financial system.

The United States faced a similar risk of default in 2011, during a period of equal partisan divisions in Washington, with a Democratic president, a Democratic Senate majority, and a Republican-majority House.

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