House Democrats pushed forward on Wednesday with a procedural move that could force a vote to increase the debt limit should negotiations between President Joe Biden and Republicans collapse, despite signs of progress in the bipartisan talks. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York), wrote to his colleagues urging them to quickly sign a discharge petition, which can automatically force a House vote on legislation if a majority of 218 members sign it. The strategy faces long odds given the complexity of the maneuver and the partisan divide in the debt talks. But even if it falls short, Democrats say the discharge petition keeps pressure on Republican leaders to strike a deal or face a potential revolt among their more politically vulnerable members who could pay a price with voters if they are seen as helping to push the country into default. Democrats also see the petition as a way to demonstrate that their party is doing all it can to prevent an economic debacle. The move comes as the White House is negotiating with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) over possible spending cuts to pair with a debt-ceiling increase, with talks currently centering on potential spending caps in coming years, as well as rescinding unspent COVID-19 funds and toughening work requirements for federal benefit programs. The White House said Tuesday that President Biden would curtail a planned overseas trip to get him back to Washington sooner. While the White House has made clear it is opposed to work requirements for Medicaid, officials haven’t ruled out that the president would entertain discussions about tighter work requirements for food stamps and a cash assistance program called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF. It takes the signatures of 218 House members—a majority, regardless of party—to move a bill to the floor by discharge petition. Republicans control the House, 222-213, so for their petition to succeed, Democrats would need at least five GOP representatives to sign on. Democrats had said earlier this month that they planned to file a discharge petition, using a shell bill they had quietly filed in late January. Under House rules, the petition had to sit in committee for 30 legislative days, defined as beginning when a chamber gavels into session and ending when it adjourns. That initial waiting period took about three months. Next, seven legislative days had to pass before signature collection could start. Once the petition gathers 218 signatures, there is a wait of another seven legislative days before a member can announce to the House that they want to bring it up. The speaker must then schedule the motion within two legislative days after that announcement. If Democrats gather all the signatures in one day, the earliest the bill could come to the House floor is June 8, assuming the House keeps its current schedule.
For today, the Senate convened at 10:00 A.M. and will consider the nomination of Jeremy C. Daniel to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, the nomination of Darrel James Papillion to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana and S.J.Res.18, disapproving of the rule submitted by the Department of Homeland Security relating to “Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility.” The Senate may also take up a Motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Nancy G. Abudu, of Georgia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit.
The House convened at 10:00 A.M. and is expected to consider, H.R. 3091 – Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act and H.R. 2494 – POLICE Act of 2023. The House may also consider H. Res. 114 – In the matter of George Santos, which would remove Representative George Santos (R-New York) from Congress.
Adam S. Olsen, Washington, D.C.
