Remember the famed U.S. Senate session debates that occurred over the 2009 Christmas holiday? They brought us Obamacare. These were the marathon sessions needed in the Senate in order to slug through the GOP filibuster on the presidents health care bill.
All political pundits eyes were on the health care debate. Most onlookers didnt even notice that, on the same day Obamacare passed the Senate for the first time, the Senate passed the last increase in our federal debt. It was Christmas Eve of 2009 and the vote occurred at 7:16 in the morning; thedebt limit increase passed by a vote of 60-39.
Then-GOP Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio was the only U.S. Republican senator to support increasing our debt from $12,104 trillion to $12,394 trillion. More importantly, former Sen. Voinovich was the much-needed 60th vote that was required to break the GOP filibuster.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., will face a very similar filibuster threat by the Senate GOP this spring or summer when the Congress must tackle another increase of our federal debt. Senate and House Democrats alike are joining the ranks of those who will oppose this increase unless massive spending cuts are proposed.
On Wednesday, Sen. David Pryor, D-Ariz., said the following: What Ive told anyone who will listen to me in Washington, including my leadership, is that Im not going to vote for that unless there is a real and meaningful commitment to debt reduction. Rep. Mike Ross from Arkansas, also a Democrat, has echoed similar sentiments along with Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla.
While the speaker of the House will have his hands full trying to cobble together the needed 218 votes to pass the increase in the House, the Senate will be a bigger battleground. Remember, even though most of us were celebrating Christmas with our families the last time the debt limit was increased, the Senate rules provide that 60 votes be required to pass the bill in the event an objection or filibuster is lodged against it.
With this in mind, and given the current Senate party breakdown of 53 Democrats to 47 Republicans, it seems to this writer that the battle will be in the Senate.That scenario propels Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., back to the negotiating table much like he was during the battle over the first continuing resolution/omnibus appropriations billlast Christmas. This was the budget battle that resulted in President Obama reneging on a core campaign promise and agreeing to extend all of the Bush tax cuts for two more years.
WithSenate Majority Leader Reid and nine of his colleagues visiting China over the congressional Easter recess, it makes you wonder about the timing of this trip and the motives. His delegationincludes Sens. RichardDurbin, D-Ill., Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Richard Shelby, R-Ala., Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga. It should seem a bit odd that this trip comes when it does, since the Chinese government was making it clear to the U.S. back in 2009 that they were growing apprehensive about our ability to pay our debts.
Sen. Enzi mentioned this immediately following the vote on Obamacare and the vote to increase our federal debt on Christmas Eve of 2009. He said, We have debated whether to increase the amount of money the federal government can borrow, at the same time that we created a massive new entitlement program that will cost the federal taxpayer trillions of dollars. The Chinese government grows concerned about financing Washingtons appetite for rampant spending.
Stay tuned to see what comes from the congressional trip to China, in addition to the negotiations beginning in Congress as to how and how much to increase our federal debt.
Elizabeth B. Letchworth is a retired, elected United States Senate secretary for the majority and minority. Currently she is a senior legislative adviser for Covington & Burling, LLC and is the founder of GradeGov.com.
