House Democrats maneuver to force a debt-ceiling vote as default looms

House Democrats on Tuesday began a process that could allow them to bypass the chamber’s Republican leaders in passing legislation to raise the nation’s debt ceiling - if they can get a handful of GOP members to join the effort.

In a letter to colleagues, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said the maneuver “preserves an important option” as a standoff continues between the White House and House Republicans ahead of a looming default on U.S. debt as early as June 1.

Jeffries said Democrats had crafted a “special rule” that could allow a bipartisan measure to be considered on the House floor through use of a so-called “discharge petition” - a procedure that is cumbersome, time-consuming and rarely successful.

The first date Democrats could gather signatures for the discharge petition is May 16. To succeed, Democrats would need at least five Republicans to buck their party leadership, assuming all Democrats in the chamber are on board with the effort.

“We will be in direct contact next week upon our return to Washington in connection with the discharge effort,” Jeffries wrote to lawmakers, who are out on recess this week.

Last week, the House narrowly passed a bill backed by GOP leadership that would condition raising the debt limit on deep spending cuts and rolling back several of President Biden’s legislative priorities. Four Republicans voted against the bill.

Biden and congressional Democratic leaders are pushing for a “clean” bill that raises the limit without conditions, as Congress did three times during the previous Republican administration of President Donald Trump.

House Democrats have been exploring the possibility of using a discharge petition for weeks but do not see it as the preferable approach.

“Congress must urgently pass legislation to raise the borrowing limit and avoid plunging our nation into a recession, driving up unemployment and crashing the stock market,” Jeffries wrote. “A dangerous default is not an option. Making sure that America pays its bills - and not the extreme ransom note demanded by Republicans - is the only responsible course of action.”

If Democrats were to succeed in the House, the party would also need some help from Republicans in the narrowly divided Senate, where 60 votes are required to advance most legislation under filibuster rules.

The House GOP legislation seeks to cap discretionary spending at fiscal year 2022 levels and allows 1 percent growth per year going forward. Republican leaders have said the cuts would not be applied across the board - ultimately it would be left to the appropriations process in coming years to determine what exactly is cut.

If their legislation were to become law, Republicans would eventually need to identify more than $3.5 trillion in cuts over the coming decade. The Biden administration has estimated cuts of more than 20 percent would be required from most agencies.

Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) has labeled the House bill “dead on arrival,” and Biden has threatened to veto to it.

Biden has summoned congressional leaders to the White House next week to discuss the situation.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted on Tuesday that Republicans drop their demands.

“It is Congress’s constitutional obligation to act, not hold the full faith and credit of the United States hostage unless we allow them to make cuts to programs hard-working Americans rely upon. Threatening to default and crash the economy unless the president agrees with Speaker McCarthy’s entire agenda isn’t just unreasonable. It’s dangerous,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at the daily briefing.

She said that at next week’s meeting, Biden will make clear that he remains willing to have “a separate process” to talk about spending priorities.

“He is not going to negotiate on the debt ceiling,” Jean-Pierre said.