Mitch McConnell Calls on Biden to Negotiate with Congressional Democrats on Debt Ceiling

I respectfully submit that it is time for you to engage directly with congressional Democrats on this matter. Your lieutenants in Congress must understand that you do not want your unified Democratic government to sleepwalk toward an avoidable catastrophe when they have had nearly three months’ notice to do their job.

McConnell noted that Biden opposed increasing the debt ceiling while he was in the minority in the Senate.

“The president’s party had to take responsibility for a policy agenda which you opposed. Your view then is our view now,” the Kentucky Republican wrote.

Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough said over the weekend that Senate Democrats could raise the debt ceiling using budgetary reconciliation, a procedure Democrats hope to use to pass their $3.5 trillion bill that focuses on social welfare spending and other leftist priorities.

Schumer said last week that Senate Democrats would not pursue a suspension or raising of the debt ceiling using reconciliation.

“Going through the long, convoluted, difficult reconciliation process with debt limit is very, very risky. We’re not pursuing that,” Schumer said after a meeting with Senate Democrats.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said the debt ceiling suspension would receive Republican support if they would not pass the Build Back Better Act.

“Republicans would vote to suspend the debt ceiling through the end of next year if the president abandoned the plans for this $3.5 trillion [bill],” Collins said.