Cantor May Allow 'Clean' Debt Vote

The Hill reports:

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) suggested Tuesday that Republicans may allow a clean vote on raising the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling in order to demonstrate that it lacks the votes to advance through Congress absent reforms.

"If it is necessary for us to tell the president that it is dead on arrival in the House, I believe that we can do that," Cantor said following a Republican conference meeting.

President Obama and congressional Democrats have demanded a "clean" vote on raising the debt limit, but Republicans say it must be combined with spending cuts and reforms.

Some Democrats also have suggested they would oppose raising the debt ceiling without corresponding spending cuts or reforms. Polls suggest voters overwhelmingly disapprove of raising the debt ceiling, even though the administration and some third-party observers have warned failing to do so could critically injure the economy.

A decision to allow a clean vote on raising the debt ceiling does post some political risk to Republicans, but it could be risky for House Democrats to vote in favor of raising the debt ceiling without any spending cuts.