House Democrats Try to Ease Threat of Battle Over Debt Ceiling
- Trump, Senate Republicans could still make increase difficult
- Debt limit is suspended but will return to effect March 1
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House Democrats are moving to make good on Nancy Pelosi’s promise not to use the nation’s debt ceiling as a political weapon to avoid jeopardizing the U.S. credit rating.
As they take power Thursday and elevate Pelosi to speaker, Democrats plan to pass a rule stating that if the House adopts a budget plan for the next fiscal year, the debt ceiling would automatically be increased. But that would eliminate only one hurdle to raising the debt limit -- the GOP-controlled Senate and President Donald Trump also would have to agree.