Mitch puts debt ceiling in play

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell drew a heavy red line for Republicans negotiating legislative and budget-related deals with President Biden and the Democrats.

Speaking to Punchbowl News in an interview published Wednesday morning, McConnell (R-Ky.) warned he did not expect members of his party to vote for any bill that includes a hike to the debt ceiling, the limit on how much the federal government can borrow.

“I can’t imagine a single Republican in this environment that we’re in now — this free-for-all for taxes and spending — to vote to raise the debt limit,” he said.

As for a solution, McConnell offered an unexpected one to Democrats: Include the debt ceiling in their reconciliation package.

Budget reconciliation allows the majority party to bypass the legislative filibuster, the Senate rule requiring 60 members to end debate on most topics and move forward to a vote.