Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that Republicans will not help Democrats raise the debt ceiling after Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen asked Congress to pass an increase to the limit.
McConnell gave a floor speech, calling the idea “comedy” and a “monstrosity,” and said Republicans will not take part in helping Democrats to raise the debt limit in order to pass massive spending packages without any input or support from their party.
“Here’s the comedy: They won’t let Republicans have any say in this monstrosity… but they want our help raising their credit card limit to make it happen! Democrats want Republicans to help them raise the debt limit so they can keep spending historic sums of money with zero Republican input and zero Republican votes,” McConnell said in his floor speech.
“Imagine a friend tells you he’s flying to Las Vegas to blow all his money. He doesn’t care that you think it’s irresponsible and you aren’t invited to come. But he wants you to co-sign a loan for him before he leaves!” McConnell continued. (RELATED: McConnell Says Not One Republican Will Support Biden’s $4 Trillion Infrastructure Plan)
“Democrats have all the existing tools they need to raise the debt limit on a partisan basis. If they want 50 lock-step Democratic votes to spend trillions and trillions more, they can find 50 Democratic votes to finance it. If they don’t want Republicans’ input, they don’t need our help,” he said. (RELATED: ‘Stopping The Worst’ — McConnell Explains What He Would Do If He Becomes Majority Leader Again)
The Democrats would need 10 Republican votes in order to raise the debt ceiling under a reconciliation process. This comes as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer released Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget resolution earlier Monday. The budget resolution focuses on addressing climate change, health care, immigration and more. (RELATED: Democrats Unveil $3.5 Trillion Budget Resolution, Setting Up Another Partisan Fight)
“It couldn’t be simpler. It couldn’t be more fair. Besides, I thought my colleagues were thrilled to present another reckless taxing and spending spree to the American people. I thought middle-class families were supposed to be delighted with their socialist shopping list,” McConnell added.
Schumer released committee-specific instructions for creating different provisions for budget resolution along with the reconciliation package’s text.