Senate Democrats led by Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., released a letter Thursday asking President Biden to invoke the 14th Amendment to bypass Congress and unilaterally raise the debt ceiling.
“It is regrettable that House and Senate Republicans are not acting in good faith,” the letter read. “We write to ask you to urgently prepare to exercise your authority under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.”
But the message in the letter is starkly different from that coming from leaders on both sides, with Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer saying there could be a deal to vote on in the House this week. next and in the Senate the following week.
The 14th Amendment states, “The validity of the public debt of the United States…shall not be questioned.”
The other signatories are: Elizabeth Warren, Mass., John Fetterman, Pa., Richard Blumenthal, Conn., Tina Smith, Minn., Ed Markey, Mass., Jeff Merkley, Ore., Sheldon Whitehouse, RI, Peter Welch, Vt ., and Mazie Hirono, Hawaii.
Senate Democrats led by Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., released a letter on Thursday asking President Biden to invoke the 14th Amendment to bypass Congress and unilaterally raise the debt ceiling
“That’s the whole reason the 14th Amendment exists,” the senator said. John Fetterman, making a rare appearance at a press conference, said, outlining the claim
Fetterman wore his signature hoodie, shorts and sneakers while the other male senators wore suits
“That’s the whole reason the 14th Amendment exists,” Fetterman said, making a rare appearance at a press conference, laying out the request.
Democrats say McCarthy’s reluctance to raise taxes on the wealthy or big business makes it “seemingly impossible to enact a bipartisan budget deal at this time.”
But going the 14th Amendment route would almost certainly result in prompt legal action.
“An unelected Supreme Court justice will try to blow up our economy in his hands, if he has to judge,” Fetterman said, noting the almost guaranteed legal challenges to the maneuver.
‘I’ll be very upfront with you, when we get to that, I’m thinking of taking a look, months down the line, to see if what the court would say about whether it works or not,’ Biden said the last week after meeting with congressional leaders.
Dry Treasury. Janet Yellen, who has been clear about the need for Congress to act as soon as possible, also poured cold water on the idea of using the 14th Amendment.
“I’ll be very direct with you, when we get to that, I’m thinking of taking a look, months down the line, to see if what the court would say to find out if it works or not,” she said. declared. said last week.
The letter comes two weeks before the June 1 deadline set by the Treasury Department, by which time the nation could run out of funds to pay its bills. Talks between President Biden and Chairman Kevin McCarthy are still ongoing, and the president offered a glimmer of optimism Thursday morning when he told reporters, “I see a way.”
He said he wanted a floor vote next week on the deal and said he had spoken to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer about the timing of the vote. The Senate adjourned Thursday and will be absent next week, but Schumer asked senators to be able to return to Washington on 24 hours’ notice if necessary.
“Negotiations are currently progressing as Speaker McCarthy has said he expects the House to vote next week if a deal is reached, and the Senate will begin consideration after that,” Schumer said.
However, members of the House Freedom Caucus are digging to the right, calling for “no further discussion” until the Senate passes the House GOP’s Limit Save Grow Act. It remains to be seen whether hardline Republicans will accept a negotiated deal less conservative than the party bill passed by the House.
