Republicans Scrounge Up 11 Senators To Break Filibuster, Advancing Debt Ceiling Increase

October 7, 2021
LOUISVILLE, KY-FEBRUARY 12: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (right) (R-KY) and U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wait the stage together at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center where Schumer was scheduled to speak February 12, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. Sen. Schumer spoke at the event as part of the Center's Distinguished Speaker Series, and Sen. McConnell introduced him. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY - FEBRUARY 12: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (right) (R-KY) and U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wait the stage together at the University of Louisville's McConnell Cent... LOUISVILLE, KY - FEBRUARY 12: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (right) (R-KY) and U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wait the stage together at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center where Schumer was scheduled to speak February 12, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. Sen. Schumer spoke at the event as part of the Center's Distinguished Speaker Series, and Sen. McConnell introduced him. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images) MORE LESS
|
October 7, 2021

Hours after Senate leadership reached a deal on a debt ceiling extension, a few Republicans decided to make things significantly harder for their own party.

By refusing to allow the bill to move forward by unanimous consent, members like Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rand Paul (R-KY) upped the vote threshold to 60 just to move the bill forward in consideration.

That set GOP leadership scrambling. McConnell, however, eventually found the votes he needed to overcome the filibuster, paving the way for the debt ceiling increase to advance shortly after 8 p.m. ET.

Follow our live coverage below:

More Less

Hours after Senate leadership reached a deal on a debt ceiling extension, a few Republicans decided to make things significantly harder for their own party.

By refusing to allow the bill to move forward by unanimous consent, members like Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rand Paul (R-KY) upped the vote threshold to 60 just to move the bill forward in consideration.

That set GOP leadership scrambling. McConnell, however, eventually found the votes he needed to overcome the filibuster, paving the way for the debt ceiling increase to advance shortly after 8 p.m. ET.

Follow our live coverage below:

Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: