House Dems use ‘Discharge Petition’ to push for US Debt Limit vote.

House Democrats Introduce Discharge Petition to Force Vote on Debt Limit Increase

House Democrats have taken a bold step in their efforts to raise the U.S. debt limit without the approval of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). On Wednesday, they introduced a procedural resolution known as a “discharge petition” to force a floor vote on the issue.

This clandestine scheme has been in motion since the start of January, and the top House Democrat, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), first alerted fellow Democrat colleagues to the plan on May 2. He urged all members of his caucus to support a discharge petition for Rep. Mark DeSaulnier’s (D-Calif.) bill titled “Breaking the Gridlock Act.”

What is a Discharge Petition?

A discharge petition is a rarely-used procedural measure that brings a bill out of committee and forces a floor vote if the bill has remained idle for more than 30 days. This would happen even without the approval of the House Speaker.

To file the petition and succeed in forcing a House floor vote, Democrats need the support of a majority of the House or 218 votes. If all 213 House Democrats vote in support, the effort would still require at least five House Republicans to join them.

Why is This Important?

Since January, President Joe Biden has had a standoff with McCarthy over raising the nation’s $31.4 trillion debt ceiling. Republicans, who control the House by a 222-213 majority, have been pushing for spending cuts in exchange for a deal with Democrats to raise Congress’s self-imposed debt limit.

The U.S. Treasury has indicated it will be unable to stay under the limit after about June 1. This means the U.S. government won’t be able to borrow money to meet its spending obligations legislated by Congress, which requires raising the debt limit.

Jeffries expressed hope to find an “acceptable, bipartisan resolution that prevents a default,” but noted that because of the impending June 1 U.S. default deadline, “it is important that all legislative options be pursued in the event that no agreement is reached.”

It is imperative that Members make every effort to sign the discharge petition today.

What Happens Next?

Currently, it is unclear whether all Democrats support the discharge petition. If successful, the discharge petition would force a floor vote on DeSaulnier’s bill and potentially raise the U.S. debt limit without the approval of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

This is a developing story, and we will keep you updated on any new developments.

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