Can the GOP Force Biden’s Hand on the Debt Ceiling?

House Republican leaders may pass their own bill to raise the federal borrowing limit.

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President Joe Biden and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy on March 17, 2023. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

President Joe Biden so far has refused to negotiate with Republicans on raising the debt ceiling. But GOP leaders, trying to unify an unruly conference that wants to extract as much as it can from the showdown, are now looking for ways to force Biden’s hand.

Before leaving for a two-week recess, Republicans signaled they’ll likely try to pass their own debt ceiling bill, without waiting to strike a deal with Democrats first.

“We need to send over what we think ought to be part of the debt limit and let the Senate respond, let the Biden administration respond,” said Rep. Gary Palmer, the chairman of the House GOP Conference’s policy committee.

And Rep. Kevin Hern, chair of the Republican Study Committee, told reporters last week he expects GOP leaders to draft a comprehensive list of debt ceiling demands by the end of May, probably before Republicans cobble together a budget. Yet it may not get lawmakers any closer to an agreement: Democrats suggest they’ll ignore such overtures, insisting on a clean bill to raise the nation’s $31.4 trillion borrowing limit.

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  1. Avatar photo
    Phil H

    So Haley, you planned your maternity leave to coincide with the debt default? Do you think you will escape the consequences of a financial collapse? Good luck with that!

    (And best wishes for your pregnancy!)

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    Ben Connelly

    Congratulations, Haley!

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  3. Peter Doyle

    Please tighten up The Dispatch. It seems like the topics can be covered in a shorter form.

    Thanks

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  4. MikeS

    The majority in the House may force the President's hand by doing its job and passing legislation that he must react to? What a concept.

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  5. Deanjens

    Baby! Yay!

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  6. Hartzlk

    Congratulations, Haley! Will miss your articles while you are gone!

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  7. Avatar photo
    Party-san

    Wow, acerbic comments on this article. I'm surprised this is so divisive.

    The problem before us is that Kevin McCarthy sold his soul to the foaming-at-the-mouth caucus. He cannot retain his hold on power if he acquiesces to raising the debt ceiling, but he sees his personal hold on power as being more important than the good of the country and the people who voted for him.

    The Republicans control congress. They will set the budget later this year, which can include whatever spending cuts they want. There's no need or reason for attaching anything to the debt ceiling other than being performative, but "performative" is pretty much the party motto today.

    The real problem is that they are unable to come to any agreement amongst themselves so all they can do is be performative. The only budget they'll come up with is one so ridiculous that it's unsignable, and they'll be counting on that because most of the GOP won't want it either. So they have no hand to play - they can destroy but they cannot build. Might as well default on the national debt as well.

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  8. Davidhaspel

    The full faith and credit of the United States government is one of the most important assets of our country. This asset is the "goose that has been presenting us with golden eggs." A wise person once said, "It's okay to play with the eggs, but don't ever f@#k with the goose." They are fing with the goose. Don't do it.

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  9. Zvikes

    "Republicans signaled they’ll likely try to pass their own debt ceiling bill, without waiting to strike a deal with Democrats first."

    I'd honestly like to see if the Republicans in the House can even pass a bill like this even with their members knowing it's going to go nowhere and is all symbolic. I kinda doubt they're capable of it.

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  10. Avatar photo
    🐝 BusyBusyBee 🐝

    So, is it Biden’s role to present McCarthy with a list of things he’d be sort of ok with cutting while Kevin wrangles with the *5 Families* to find consensus on what they want? That consensus is never going to happen. Meanwhile, they also will not be able to come to consensus on a budget either. And the whole thing will play out on page 10 because the first 9 pages will be all Trump, all the time.

    I really hope people are prepared for these maniacs to burn the whole thing down. The time is nigh if anyone remotely serious wants to get a discharge petition circulating too.

    Tick Tock. ⏰

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    1. DTruitt

      So the People's Representatives in Congress, doing exactly what Congress is supposed to do per our Constitution, control spending, and provide oversight and checks and balances to an out of control spend crazy Democrat administration, are the "maniacs" here?

      You got it exactly bass ackwards.

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      1. Avatar photo
        Citizen60

        Except, of course, the debt ceiling limit wasn’t around when the Constitution was written, and The Founding Fathers placed greater esteem on the new country paying its debts than the 2023 House Republicans.

        The debt ceiling was cleanly raised without fuss under Trump—nothing has changed except the House.

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      2. Avatar photo
        Pbanuski

        Do you know what the debt ceiling is and what it refers to, or are you engaging in your usual obstinate trolling?

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      3. Avatar photo
        Jonathan

        This isn’t a debate about the next budget. It’s a debate over borrowing enough money to pay for the existing budget that was passed (and under-funded) last congress. Spending and taxation are laws so it’s illegal to not spend or tax per the law. Regrettably, those numbers aren’t the same so the gov’t is required to borrow the difference. Republicans are saying they won’t fund the current budget unless the next one is smaller but also won’t say what they want the next budget to be. I suspect because they don’t agree amongst themselves what the next budget should be. Debt ceiling brinksmanship is a clown show regardless of which party is doing it.

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      4. Hikingguy

        Not at all surprised, but you're wrong. Again. The constitution demands the public debt of the Untied Sates is not to be questioned. We borrowed the money. The money must be repaid. Period. All this other crap is just that-crap.

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