Senate locks in deal to vote on debt ceiling hike Thursday

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Senate locks in deal to vote on debt ceiling hike Thursday
By Jordain Carney - 10/07/21 04:06 PM EDT

The Senate has locked in a deal to pass a short-term debt ceiling extension on Thursday.

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) finalized the agreement to hold up to four hours of debate on the debt ceiling extension, followed by a key procedural hurdle to end debate on the bill, which will require 60 votes, around 7:30 p.m. 

If they overcome that hurdle, the Senate would then move directly to a vote to pass the short-term debt extension, a move that will only require a simple majority.

The deal comes after hours of behind-the-scenes wrangling that followed Schumer announcing this morning he had reached a deal with Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) on the short-term debt limit extension.

Under the agreement, the debt ceiling will increase by $480 billion. The Treasury Department, according to Senate aides, thinks that will set up the next deadline for Dec. 3, the same day government funding is set to expire.

DEVELOPING

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/575822-senate-locks-in-deal-to-vote-on-debt-ceiling-hike-thursday

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Top Republican says 10 GOP senators will help advance debt hike
By Jordain Carney - 10/07/21 03:17 PM EDT

Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, said on Thursday that 10 GOP senators will ultimately help advance a short-term debt hike, but predicted a painful process amid private haggling.

“In the end we’ll be there, but it’s going to be a painful birthing process,” Thune said, asked about Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) ability to 10 GOP votes to advance the debt ceiling hike.

GOP Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas), Mike Lee (Utah) and Rand Paul (Ky.) are requiring that the debt hike legislation, which would increase the nation’s borrowing limit, overcome a filibuster, meaning it will require 60 votes to end debate on the bill.


To make that happen, 10 Senate Republicans will need to vote to end debate, even though they could then oppose final passage of the bill since that vote only requires a simple majority.

Ten GOP senators haven’t yet publicly said that they will vote to end debate on the debt hike. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) have all indicated that they will help advance the debt hike over the procedural huddle.

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/575807-top-republican-says-10-gop-senators-will-help-advance-debt-hike