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Senate Republicans block funding, debt ceiling bill

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, speaks during a news conference following Senate Republican policy luncheons at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021.

Getty Images Congress is running out of time to prevent a shutdown and a default.| Bloomberg | Getty Images

Congress is running out of time to prevent a shutdown and a default.

Senate Republicans blocked Monday’s bill to fund the government, and suspended the U.S. Debt Ceiling. This left Democrats scrambling for ways to prevent an economic disaster.

House legislation, which was passed by the House, would have provided funding for the government until December. The U.S. debt limit would be suspended into next December after midterm congressional election.

The Senate GOP refused to allow Democrats to suspend the debt ceiling after every Republican in the House opposed it.

Democrats will now need to make an impressive series of maneuvers in order not to trigger a string of events that could cripple the economy, and potentially cost Americans millions of jobs. The Republican opposition may force them to pass a short-term funding bill with GOP support, then approve a debt limit suspension on their own — potentially as part of their up to $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation plan.

Chuck Schumer, D.N.Y. Senate Majority Leader, stated before the vote that it was not a political game. We are confronted with a series of terribles that will affect every American living in the country.

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Government funding will lapse if lawmakers do not pass an appropriations bill before midnight Thursday.

Janet Yellen, Treasury Secretary to the United States has warned lawmakers that there will be no way for the U.S. to pay its bills until October unless Congress increases the debt limit.

The debt limit and government funding are two separate matters. While raising or suspending the debt ceiling doesn’t authorize any new spending by the government, it does allow the U.S. the ability to borrow funds to meet existing obligations.

Democrats criticize Republicans for threatening economic ruin and opposing the debt ceiling suspension. They have previously supported this policy. The party also pointed out that trillions have been spent on emergency coronavirus assistance by the GOP since Congress last suspended it.

Republicans claim their counterparts must suspend the debt ceiling as they seek to invest up to $3.5 billion in climate policy and the social safety net without the GOP.

Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, stated that Republicans would support a short term funding bill which does not increase the debt ceiling.

He stated that Republicans would not vote for raising the debt ceiling and said, “We won’t provide Republican votes.”

Before the vote failed, he tried to introduce an appropriations bill that did not address the borrowing limit. D-Vt. Senator Patrick Leahy objected.

This story is still developing. Keep checking back for more updates.

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