Republicans on Monday blocked a short term resolution to stave off a government shutdown because Democrats included language that raises the debt ceiling.
The GOP presented united front against what they call Democratic attempts to drive the country more into debt.
'The Democrats have known is a nonstarter for more than two months,' Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell said of the debt limit provision shortly before the vote.
He argued instead for a 'clean CR' - a continuing resolution to fund the government without raising the debt ceiling.
We 'have a clean CR that could pass today,' McConnell noted. 'It would keep the government open.'
Senators were voting on a procedural motion to advance the short term budget to a final vote. Sixty votes were needed to make that happen. Democrats needed the support of 10 Republicans in the 50-50 Senate.
The vote failed 48 to 50. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer voted 'no' as a procedural move so he can change his vote later to bring the legislation back up.
He took to the Senate floor after the vote to slam Republicans for their votes.
'The Republican Party has now become the party of default, the party that says America doesn't pay its debts,' Schumer said.
He said he would bring up the vote again this week but didn't offer a timeline.
'Keeping the government open and preventing a default is vital to our country's future. And we'll be taking further action to prevent this from happening this week,' he said.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell led his party in a united front in voting down a short term government funding resolution because Democrats tied in raising the debt ceiling
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer arrives at the Capitol on Monday for the start of a busy week of votes on President Biden's agenda
Funding for the federal government runs out Friday at midnight. Democratic leaders have not revealed what they will do next although passing a 'clean CR' remains an option.
The debt limit has become a major point of contention between the two parties. Democrats point out it was last raised with the help of Republicans under President Donald Trump and argue most of the debt came from the former president's tax cuts. Republicans counter that Democrats spent too much government money with their trillion packages containing various COVID relief measures.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellin has warned the U.S. government may not be able to pay its bills as soon as next month.
The House passed the government funding measure last week. It extends government funding through December 3 and suspends the debt limit through December 16, 2022. It also includes $28.6 billion for natural disaster recovery and $6.3 billion for Afghan refugees.
The U.S. has never defaulted on its debts in the modern era. Democrats have the votes to pass raising the debt limit on their own but are pressuring Republicans to get on board by attaching the provision to government funding measures.
Republicans, meanwhile, are also using the debt ceiling vote to object to President Joe Biden's agenda, including his $3.5 trillion budget package that funds various social programs.
This is just the start of a series of contentious votes on Capitol Hill this week that will encompass Biden's entire agenda, which faces a derailment due to an internecine battle among Democrats.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi postponed a vote on Biden's infrastructure package until Thursday as Democrats work to shore up support among moderates for Biden's $3.5 trillion budget filled with social programs.
Additionally, lawmakers are arguing about raising the debt ceiling, which could find the U.S. government faulting on
