House Republicans are giving up on their latest debt limit extension demands and instead are opting to push for a “clean” debt limit increase.
House Republican leadership told the conference Tuesday morning in a meeting.
Republicans had previously been looking to support a debt limit increase going through March 15, 2015 only if cuts to military retirement benefits were reversed and the pay-for for that extension came from extending mandatory across-the-board sequestration cuts to Medicare providers for one more year.
But, according to a source in the room when leadership made the announcement, it was clear that the military retirement provision “will not attract enough support, so we will be bringing up a ‘clean’ debt limit bill tomorrow.”
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), the source added, “made clear the GOP would provide the requisite number of Republican votes for the measure but that Democrats will be expected to carry the vote.”
