Both the House and Senate are now in recess for the Columbus Day Holiday. The Senate will reconvene at 3:00 P.M. on Monday, October 18th and will resume consideration of the nomination of Christine P. O’Hearn to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey. The House will reconvene for a vote on the debt ceiling extension on Tuesday, October 12th and then recess again until Tuesday, October 19th with votes at 6:30 P.M.
The Senate on Thursday approved a short-term debt ceiling increase, setting the stage for the House to do so next week and allow the U.S. not to default on its bills for the first time in history. Eleven Senate Republicans joined all Senate Democrats to break a filibuster and extend the debt limit through December 3rd, bringing a temporary end to weeks of contentious moments. The final vote on the debt ceiling extension passed, 50-48. The deal, offered on Wednesday by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), increases the debt limit by $480 billion. It came after months of warnings by the Republican leader that Republicans would not vote for an extension and for Democrats to pass it on their own via reconciliation. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) announced late Thursday that the lower chamber will return from its two-week recess to vote on the debt ceiling increase on Tuesday night sending it to President Joe Biden who is expected to sign it.
