WASHINGTON, May 31 (Reuters) - A bill to suspend the U.S. government's $31.4 trillion debt ceiling and avert a disastrous default cleared a key procedural hurdle in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, setting the stage for an vote on the bipartisan debt deal itself.
The procedural vote, which allows for the start of debate and then a vote on the bill itself, passed by a vote of 241-187, with 52 Democrats needed to overcome the opposition of 29 Republicans.
[1/6] U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) returns to his office from the House floor at the U.S. Capitol ahead of an expected vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on a bill raising the federal government's $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, in Washington, U.S., May 31, 2023.
"I cannot, in good conscience, vote for the debt ceiling deal," Sanders said on Twitter.
White House Budget Director Shalanda Young, who was one of Biden's lead negotiators, urged Congress to pass the bill.
Persons:
Kevin McCarthy's, Joe Biden's, McCarthy, Biden, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Schumer, Chip Roy, Roy, Kevin McCarthy, Julia Nikhinson, Rand Paul, Bernie Sanders, Sanders, Shalanda Young, Biden's, Young, White, David Morgan, Richard Cowan, Moira Warburton, Julio, Cesar Chavez, Kanishka Singh, Scott Malone, Rosalba O'Brien, Alistair Bell
Organizations:
Kevin McCarthy's Republicans, Senate, Treasury, Republican, Office, ., U.S, Capitol, U.S . House, REUTERS, Twitter, White, Republicans, Internal Revenue Service, Democratic, Thomson
Locations:
U.S, Washington , U.S, Washington