House Democrats Fracture on Debt Ceiling Deal

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Wednesday that he is going to support the debt limit deal negotiated by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and President Joe Biden.

“I made clear that I’m going to support the legislation that is on the floor today and I have supported without hesitation, reservation, or trepidation,” Jeffries said during a news conference after a meeting with the White House. “Not because it’s perfect, but in a divided government, we cannot allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good.”

Not all Democrats are on board with the deal, however. Earlier this month, all 213 House Democrats signed a discharge petition to force a clean debt ceiling increase, but some were open to supporting a compromise.

That showed during a procedural vote on Wednesday, with 52 Democrats aligning with 189 Republicans in a 241-187 vote to advance the deal for final approval that night. There were 29 Republicans who voted against advancing the bill.

A senior House Democrat told Axios on Wednesday that they expect the bill to pass with a total of 300 votes from an equal number from both parties. However, the lawmaker said Democrats are not thrilled.

“Fair to say that [Texas GOP Rep.] Chip Roy also spoke for most Democrats when he called the deal a ‘turd sandwich,'” the lawmaker said.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told Axios that concerns were raised during a caucus meeting about the bill’s welfare work requirements, environmental provisions, and increase in defense spending. She and House Minority Whip Greg Casar, D-Texas, are planning to vote against it.

Jayapal said an internal whip count of the caucus’ 100 members found that “a majority” oppose the deal, adding that it could be enough for the group to actively whip against it.

“I don’t think a ‘no’ vote or a ‘yes’ vote should be seen as against the president,” Jayapal said. “But I do think it’s important that we put up a very strong ‘no’ vote and that we don’t give them one vote more than what they need.”