Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell criticized Democrats ahead of a vote to raise the debt limit that is poised to fail, noting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is “headed off to Europe” amid the looming crisis.
“I can only presume she hopes the full faith and credit of the United States will get sorted out without her,” the Kentucky Republican said Wednesday. “That is the level of leadership and accountability the country is getting from Washington Democrats who run this country.”
The House adjourned Friday for a two-week recess, and Pelosi plans to travel to Rome to participate in a G-20 summit.
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Democratic leaders say it is the GOP who are threatening a U.S. default after Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Congress must raise the debt limit by Oct. 18 in order for the nation to continue to repay loans.
The House, controlled by the Democrats, passed a bill to lift the debt ceiling before leaving town last week, sending it to the Senate. GOP senators plan to block it in a vote later Wednesday.
This would block Democrats from passing legislation that would suspend the nation’s borrowing limit until December 2022. It will be the third time the GOP has stood in the way of allowing Democrats to vote to raise it.
“Republican obstruction on the debt ceiling over the last few weeks has been reckless,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said Wednesday. “It’s been irresponsible.”
Republicans object to a massive social welfare spending package Democrats plan to jam through without any GOP input. Republicans say Democrats should use the same budgetary tactic to lift the debt ceiling.
Democrats must find a path to passing the debt limit increase without Republicans and are weighing a “nuclear option” move to eliminate the filibuster temporarily.
Republicans say Democrats can pass the measure unilaterally by taking several legislative steps that would involve the House convening and passing new legislation. Democrats have no interest in following the GOP’s recommendation.
Schumer called on Republicans to allow “the first and easiest option,” by allowing Democrats to advance the debt ceiling without a 60-threshold vote.
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Pelosi has no immediate plans to reconvene the House.
She’ll deliver “a major address” at the opening of the G-20 summit, aides said in a statement Wednesday on the topics of climate, national security, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In addition to delivering major addresses in Rome and Lisbon, the speaker will also hold high-level meetings with senior Italian and Portuguese government officials,” aides said.
