Democrat Leader Jeffries To File Debt Ceiling Discharge Petition Today

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has indicated in a letter to colleagues that he will file a discharge petition today which would bypass House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and raise the debt limit unliterally. As the petition will require the signatures of at least five dissenting Republican reps it is considered highly unlikely to succeed, especially considering the strong position McCarthy finds himself in after yesterday's White House meeting with President Biden.

• Bullet edited to correct typo (D-NY) 14:14 BST
• Jeffries writes: "In the next few weeks, at the reckless urging of former President Trump, we confront the possibility that right-wing extremists will intentionally plunge our country into a default crisis."
• Jeffries says that, following the White House debt limit meeting yesterday, he "is hopeful that a real pathway exists" to avoid a default but says: "...given the impending June 1 deadline.... it is important that all legislative options be pursued in the event that no agreement is reached."
• Jeffries tells Democrats, "it is imperative that members make every effort to sign the discharge petition today, which will be available at the Clerk’s desk on the House Floor beginning at 10 a.m."