Thursday’s signing by President Joe Biden of a bill to increase the country’s debt limit up until December early delayed the possibility that the United States will default on its obligations.

The House passed the $480 billion increase in the country’s borrowing ceiling on Tuesday, after the Senate approved it on a party-line vote last week. After a prolonged standoff with Senate Republicans who obstructed initial Democratic efforts through filibusters (delays that require 60 votes) the final approval was granted.

A few Senate Republicans joined Democrats to vote to end GOP delays, and to move on to the final vote. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has said Republicans will offer no support for another increase in December.

Janet Yellen (Treasury Secretary) had predicted that Monday’s U.S. borrowing limit would be reached. It was an unusual situation, which she and others warned could cause economic collapse for a nation that is still suffering from a worldwide pandemic. The government’s routine payments to Social Security beneficiaries and disabled veterans, as well as active-duty military personnel, could be delayed. Global markets may feel the effects of the U.S. economic downturn.

Short-term debt ceiling increases ensure that the U.S. continues to fulfill its obligations for the time being. But it sets up another potential cliff at the end of the year — at a time when lawmakers will also be working to pass a federal funding bill to avert a government shutdown.

Republicans said Democrats need to use budgetary maneuvers to raise the debt limit. They don’t require Republican support. That is the same process Democrats are using to fund Biden’s enormous climate change plan and the social safety net. However, Democrats have rejected this option. It is unclear what Congress will do to avoid December’s default date, due to the clash of the parties. However, the White House insists that it continues to pursue a bipartisan increase.

Both parties’ lawmakers have leveraged the debt ceiling votes to push for their other priorities. Nancy Pelosi (House Speaker) threatened to vote against increasing the debt ceiling while Donald Trump was president. However, she stated that her intention to not support raising it to make it easier for Republicans to tax the richer. And Republicans in 2011 managed to coerce President Barack Obama into accepting about $2 trillion in deficit cuts as a condition for increasing the debt limit — though lawmakers later rolled back some of those cuts.