House Democrats are confident they can whip enough votes within their caucus to pass the debt limit bill and avoid a default, but party leaders remain adamant that Republicans must be responsible for getting the bill to the floor for a full vote — stopping short of whether they’d help the GOP do so.
“In regards to the rule [vote], it's very simple: the majority is responsible for passing,” Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) said on Wednesday.
BIDEN WORKS TO PUSH DEBT CEILING DEAL OVER THE FINISH LINE
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) echoed similar sentiments, noting that while Democrats will “make sure that there is no default,” it will be up to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to get the majority votes needed to advance his negotiated debt ceiling deal to the floor.
“We continue to maintain that House Republicans need to keep their commitment to produce 150 votes on the resolution that they themselves negotiated. And when that happens, Democrats are going to make sure that there is no default,” Jeffries said. “The majority is responsible for ensuring the passage of the rule, but we will not allow a default to happen.”
However, the two leaders sidestepped questions on whether they’d deliver any votes on the rule to help Republicans advance the bill if they fall short of the 213-vote threshold. Instead, the two maintained that they would uphold their commitment to secure the votes needed to pass the bill so long as Republicans provide 150 votes out of their majority.
But Jeffries and Clark stopped short of saying whether they’d help push the bill across the finish line if Republicans fall just short of that number.
“It's our expectation that House Republicans will keep their commitment to provide 150 or so votes as a floor on the agreement that they themselves negotiated,” Jeffries said. “None of us have gotten into any of those mechanics because we've been very clear we will not allow the country to default. America must always pay our bills. We will not let extreme MAGA Republicans in the Congress crash our economy and hurt everyday Americans. … Mechanically, what that looks like on the House floor remains to be seen.”
Jeffries emphasized that the Democratic caucus remains unified in the effort to pass the bill if Republicans are able to provide their share of the votes even as some progressive members have come out against the agreement just hours before the vote is set to take place.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was the first Democrat to come out against the debt limit bill, telling reporters on Tuesday she disagrees with several of its provisions. Instead, Ocasio-Cortez said it would be up to McCarthy to secure the necessary support.
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Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) also came out against the bill Wednesday morning, noting other caucus members could actively whip against the legislation — possibly complicating its passage in the House.
Meanwhile, McCarthy has brushed off concerns that opposition from both progressives and hard-line conservatives in his own party could sink the bill, expressing confidence the bill will pass with majority Republican support. However, he stopped short of saying whether he’ll need Democratic support to approve the rule ahead of its final passage on Wednesday.