Sen. Schumer Letter to Dems: 'MAGA' Debt Plan 'Far-Right Ransom Note'

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., issued a "dear colleague" letter to Senate Democrats to denounce House Republicans' effort to avert U.S. debt default while cutting domestic spending.

The House passed the "Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023" last week 217-215, but Schumer blasted it as a "MAGA Republican" plan that amounts to a "far-right ransom note," calling it the "Default on America Act," or DOA.

"It has no hope of ever becoming law," Schumer vowed in his letter to Senate Democrats, urging opposition.

Schumer's derision was littered throughout the letter, including accusing House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., of having "let extremists take him hostage."

Under the guise of urging for bipartisan negotiations on raising the debt limit, Schumer laid out a veritable Democrats' way or the highway letter to colleagues.

"As Democrats have been saying for months, the real solution is bipartisan support for a clean bill to increase the debt limit and avoid default," Schumer wrote. "Speaker McCarthy and the MAGA House Republicans have moved the process backwards through their far-right ransom note.

"We cannot move forward as long as Republicans threaten our country with default."

But McCarthy and Republican leaders argue they have the only plan put forward that responsibly raises the debt limit, while trimming back Democrats' runaway domestic spending plans.

"The House Republicans just passed the only bill in Washington that lifts the debt limit, ends wasteful Washington spending, and puts America back on the right economic path," McCarthy told reporters after the passing of the bill solely on GOP support. "The sad part here now is the Democrats have to do their job.

"The president can no longer ignore by not negotiating."

House GOP Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., added to CNN on Sunday he can only guarantee America will not default on debt, "assuming that our president and the [Majority Leader Chuck] Schumer Senate recognize the gravity of the problem."

"We have passed a debt-ceiling solution," he said, adding "House Republicans will not allow America to default on its debt; we showed that last week.

"The solution is in the Senate right now."

The GOP bill raises the debt limit until May, 2024, but plans to slash spending by $4.8 trillion, knocking out some of Democrats' aggressive domestic spending initiatives that were signed into law but cannot be afforded under the existing debt limit, which could be reached by June.

Despite Schumer's letter claiming, in closing, Democrats "will do everything we can to protect the American people and prevent a default" — that will not include working with Republicans and fiscal conservatives that ignored the U.S. debt limit.

"The Senate will show the public what this bill truly is," Schumer wrote. "Beginning this week, our committees will begin to hold hearings to expose the true impact of this reckless legislation on everyday Americans. On Thursday, the Budget Committee will hold a hearing on the Default on America Act."

If the Senate fails to pass the House GOP plan, there will be few days left in session before June to avert the first default on American debt.