Civic Register
| 10.4.21
Parliamentarian Gives Senators Guidance on Use of Reconciliation to Lift Debt Limit Amid Partisan Standoff
Should Democrats use reconciliation to raise the debt limit?
What’s the story?
- The Senate parliamentarian’s office provided senators with guidance last week about raising the debt limit through the budget reconciliation process ahead of October 18th, when the Treasury Dept. estimates it will be unable to fund all the federal government’s obligations, as Democrats and Republicans in Congress continue their debt limit standoff.
- The parliamentarian’s office confirmed that Democrats can amend their budget resolution to produce a new reconciliation bill that increases the debt limit and pass it along party-lines, according to a report by Punchbowl News.
- The guidance also verified that the budget revision process and introduction of a debt limit reconciliation bill would not impact the privileged status of the “social infrastructure” spending reconciliation bill that Democrats are negotiating. That’s not an issue in the near term, as moderate and progressive Democrats haven’t reached a deal on its contents.
- For the moment, Democrats are continuing to try to avoid using reconciliation. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) set up a procedural vote for later this week on a bill suspending the debt limit through mid-December 2022 that was passed by House Democrats on party-lines. That vote is expected to fall short of the 60 votes required to overcome the legislative filibuster due to Republican opposition.
- The Senate appears on course for a replay of late September when Senate Republicans blocked a stopgap funding bill to avoid a government shutdown because it contained the debt limit suspension, which was ultimately removed prior to passage. If those events play out as expected, Democrats may be reluctantly forced to turn to reconciliation for raising the debt limit.
Why do Democrats want to avoid reconciliation for the debt limit?
Specific Debt Limit Increase vs. Suspension Thru 12/22:
- One area the Senate parliamentarian’s guidance didn’t address is whether reconciliation can only be used to raise the debt limit to a specific dollar amount, or whether it can be used to suspend the debt limit until a specified date as House Democrats’ debt limit bill would do through December 16, 2022.
- By choosing that date, Democrats would be able to delay dealing with the debt limit again until after the 2022 midterm elections regardless of how much debt is accumulated in the next 14 months before addressing it during a lame-duck session. That would allow Democrats to pursue larger spending packages over the next year without having to worry about triggering another debt limit increase if Congress sets a specific debt limit threshold that gets outpaced by Democrats’ agenda.
- Senators may seek additional guidance from the parliamentarian’s office on the matter before a final decision about the use of reconciliation is made.
Double Shot of Vote-a-Rama:
- Senate vote-a-ramas allow senators to force votes on any germane amendment they want in a marathon session. The most recent vote-a-rama was on Democrats’ budget resolution to use reconciliation for their social spending plan ― it featured 43 roll call votes and lasted 14 hours before ending at 3:58am.
- Two vote-a-ramas would have to occur: First, when Democrats revise their budget resolution to allow the debt limit to be raised via reconciliation; and a second time when the reconciliation bill itself reaches the floor.
- Because of the Senate’s germaneness rules, all amendments offered in either of the two potential debt limit vote-a-ramas would have to be directly related to the national debt. That means the breadth of subject matter addressed in amendments would be more focused than in this year’s previous vote-a-ramas, potentially speeding up the process.
Floor Time Constraints:
- Democrats have expressed concern that using reconciliation could consume a significant amount of floor time, due in large part to the vote-a-ramas and other procedural requirements related to debate reconciliation measures.
- The process could last up to two weeks, although it’s possible that Republican lawmakers would consent to waive debate time to allow the vote-a-ramas and final passage of both the revised budget resolution and an ensuing debt limit reconciliation bill.
What’s next for the debt limit in Congress?
- The Senate’s procedural vote on House Democrats’ debt limit suspension bill is likely to occur Wednesday, but if it fails as expected lawmakers will still have to find a way to increase the debt limit.
- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) didn’t discuss reconciliation as an option while giving remarks on the floor and accused Republicans of obstructing a debt limit hike while setting up the procedural vote on the debt limit suspension bill:
“If Republicans want to vote to stop payments from going to social security recipients or veterans, then be my guest. But they ought to get out of the way and let the legislation pass the Senate. The fact is we do not have the luxury of waiting until October 18 to extend the debt ceiling. Even a near-miss can have dramatic consequences — every single day we delay taking action, we increase the chances of doing irreversible damage to our global financial system, our economic recovery, and trust in our country’s ability to pay its debts.”
- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) spoke after Schumer and quoted floor remarks by then-Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) in opposition to a debt limit hike by a unified Republican government in 2006. McConnell added that Republicans remain opposed to raising the debt limit for Democrats while they’re pursuing their partisan spending plan so they ought to use reconciliation:
“The majority doesn’t need our votes. They just want a bipartisan shortcut around procedural hurdles they can clear on their own. And they want that bipartisan shortcut so they can pivot right back to partisan spending as fast as possible. They want a bipartisan shortcut to get right back to more partisan hardball!... The majority needs to stop sleepwalking toward yet another preventable crisis. Democrats need to tackle the debt limit. We gave them a road map and three months’ notice. I suggest our colleagues get moving.”
- Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) told CNN that he is supportive of Democrats raising the debt limit through reconciliation and said that shouldn’t be ruled out as an option for raising the debt limit to avoid default:
“We can prevent default, we really can prevent it. And there’s a way to do that, and there’s a couple other tools that we have that we can use. Takes a little bit of time. It’s going to be a little bit of pain, long vote-a-ramas, this and that ― do what you have to do. But we cannot ― and I want people to know ― we will not let this country default.”
- The House is on recess but lawmakers may be recalled with 72 hours of notice for votes if legislation related to the debt limit is added to the schedule.
— Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: Schumer: Senate Democrats via Flickr / Creative Commons | McConnell: Gage Skidmore via Flickr / Creative Commons)
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Republicans are playing with our lives at any costs to keep their power.
It would be great if the two parties could work together but when the Republicans have made it a project to stop anything the Democrats try to do then I say go ahead and get done what you need to to help the people rather than the party. Get down and play dirty like the Republicans do.
Ron A: McConnell vowed that no Republican Senator would vote to raise the debt limit and that Democrats had to do it all on their own. This was not tied to any of the reconciliation bill stuff at all. The Republican Senatorial Faction even killed debating raising the debt limit, let alone voting for it - using the filibuster. This is a tactic to force the reconciliation bill to be voted on by the Democrats before they can complete their own debate and deliberation to ensure that it best represents the country’s interests. … … … Incidentally, this is how democratic processes are supposed to work; to arrive at a collective solution through negotiation where the will of the many is factored into the results instead of just the will of the political party. The Republican Faction is so regimented that the faction members are expected to just march lock-step to support a common mandated Party self-interest. It is refreshing to finally see democracy being practiced by the Democrats with the exception of a few who would rather take more of an autocratic hardline despite the will of the electorate. As more engage, I expect a more valued product to be delivered. Our country’s motto is ‘e pluribus unum’; ‘out of many comes one’ - and that is what the Democratic Party is finally becoming fully engaged in. It is truly a shame that the Republican Faction, in it’s never ending war to defeat their political enemy, is unwilling to participate in truly democratic processes for the good of our country, instead of just themselves and their political faction.
Stop negotiating with terrorists. Do what we hired you to do. Work toward a bright future for everyone. Just stop trying to play ball with cheaters. They have no interest in anything but seeing joe fail. You can’t get any lower than that. Stop giving them the benefit of the doubt. They don’t deserve the time of day.
The American people, with any concern over this democracy, should expose the entire republican officials on their desire to rule as a dictatorship. Just look at the mess left by Donald
Under NO circumstances should Dems cave to Republicans by using the reconciliation process to raise the debt limit!!! The Republicans are scum and only want to destroy this country. Let them bear the responsibility to bringing down the government. THEY CERTAINLY DID THEIR BEST ON JANUARY 6th!
Don’t back down. Do what is necessary to pass 3.5 trillion bill. Tax the rich. Heal this country. Heal this planet and prepare for the future. Cut the defense budget.No more wars. Fight for student loan forgiveness.Free Julian Assange and Edward Snowden. Medicare for All. Green New Deal.
Stop raising the debt limit and start paying debt off. What happened to the balance the budget act when Clinton was president?
Some recent news regarding the Debt Ceiling: My sense is that Biden has managed to hit Mitch in the nuts—business knows Mitch's threat is very bad. Ongoing... Biden broaches nuclear option in standoff with McConnell https://www.politico.com/news/2021/10/05/biden-nuclear-option-standoff-mcconnell-515222 Democrats Weigh Filibuster Change to Solve Debt Ceiling Fight https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/06/us/debt-ceiling-filibuster.html? CNBC: McConnell may offer short-term debt ceiling extension following pressure from Biden https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/06/mitch-mcconnell-may-offer-short-term-debt-ceiling-extension-following-pressure-from-biden.html “Joe Biden is meeting with top US bank and business leaders right now, virtually from the White House, about the federal debt limit, with specific plans to shame Republicans for their “obstruction and political games” in using the filibuster to block the Democrats and their efforts to raise the debt limit. He accused the GOP of playing “Russian routlette” with the US economy.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2021/oct/06/facebook-democrats-republicans-joe-biden-congress-us-politics-latest-news? Analysis | How changing the filibuster to raise the debt ceiling could solve Democrats’ problems — and maybe create more Powerful Democrats are coalescing around an idea to eliminate the filibuster for the debt ceiling, except at least one: Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.). By Amber Phillips https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/10/06/filibuster-debt-limit/ Has this all been some BS drama scaring people left, right, and center? Or has McConnell finally lost his mind? That’s what he gets from hangin’ with the Forever Trumpers & The QAnon Crowd.
I had thought that maybe Democrats should use reconciliation but, after reviewing what’s going on more, I’ve changed my mind to a “no”. Mostly because this may give a great opportunity to remove the filibuster but also because reconciliation gives the GOP an easy out and does not help the country. They need to get off their asses and vote for this and voting rights! If not, remove the Filibuster and we can get back to work.
McConnell said that Republicans "will also allow Democrats to use normal procedures to pass an emergency debt limit extension at a fixed dollar amount to cover current spending levels into December." To the brain bereft ‘conservatives’ gop whatever you are. ‘Allow’? The gall. Please do yourself a favor. Shut down the country, don’t vaccinate, don’t wear masks, give the rich a huge tax break, cut everything for the common people. Lets see how red states fare!?
Continued don't even get me started on Mnuchin. The gop/gqp has alot of God damn nerve to out it as kindly as I can.
Democrats are able to use a separate Reconciliation Bill from the Build Back Better bill just to address this debt ceiling. Let's get it done so we can avoid this crisis that Republicans have inflicted on our country and then we can move on with the real bills that Americans want.
Yes indeed!!
Yes they should do that immediately! Then they should get rid of the filibuster and open hearings on Mitch McConnell. McConnell needs to be removed from office now the man’s goal is to bring down America along with Lindsey Graham and Donald Trump all of them anti-American all of them criminals.
Yes do whatever they can in fact get rid of the debt ceiling all together. It's only used as gop/gqp extortion, bribery and thievery to prevent or stop any real dem progress or any real progress for that matter. Diversion is the name of their games. I don't even think of any of them as a legitimate political party anymore. Criminals is more appropriate.
Yes, Democrats need to use the reconciliation method, as Republicans are so fixated on blocking any progress the Democrats want to pass, they don’t care if it harms the American economy or hard working Americans! Mitch McConnell, and Ted Cruise had no problems with increasing the debt to give huge tax breaks to the Top one percent! No problem what do ever to help the filthy rich, to help the working class they could care less! It’s time for the rich to pay their fair share, they should be paying at least the same percentage as the middle class worker! Nothing less, ever !
Republicans need to stop messing around. It is time to do something for the 95%. Trump ran up the debt. Time to pay his bills.
Close the BORDER NOW.
Using Reconciliation requires giving up a $$$-number that Mitch-grim reaper, will use against Democrats, don’t forget this. Mitch will use this ‘number’ against D’s in coming Elections-‘22!