On Wednesday, the House of Representatives narrowly passed a bill to increase the debt ceiling, with only two Republican members joining all Democrats in voting for the measure.
The bill would raise the debt ceiling by $2.5 trillion, allowing the government to pay its bills and avoid defaulting on its obligations. This move was necessary due to the country’s rising debt and the failure of Congress to agree on a comprehensive budget plan.
The vote was a significant break from previous Republican efforts to use the debt ceiling as leverage to extract concessions from Democrats.
In recent years, Republicans have used the debt ceiling as a political tool to push for spending cuts and other policy changes. However, the current bill was passed with the help of just two Republican votes, signaling a shift in the party’s priorities.
The passage of the bill is seen as a victory for Democrats, who have been pushing for a “clean” debt ceiling increase without any strings attached.
Many Republicans argued that the measure would lead to increased government spending and a ballooning national debt, but supporters of the bill say that it is necessary to keep the government functioning.
The bill will now move to the Senate, where it is expected to face significant opposition from Republicans. However, with the government set to run out of money in just a few weeks, there is significant pressure on lawmakers to find a solution quickly.