House to Take Test Vote on Raising U.S. Debt Limit Next Week

The U.S. House will vote next week on a measure to raise the nation’s $14.3 trillion debt ceiling without spending cuts, a test vote meant by its backers to fail and signal that fiscal changes are needed to win Republican support for raising the borrowing limit.

Democrats earlier asked for approval of a measure that simply increases the debt limit. Laena Fallon, a spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, said next week’s vote will show “that the Democrats’ demands are way out of touch with the views of most Americans and the markets,” who want the government to “finally begin to live within our means.”