The Senate will be the focus of attention this week, as the standoff continues over raising the debt limit. Pressure is mounting on the upper chamber after the House Republicans passed a bill to raise the borrowing ceiling and implement spending reductions.

As the debt ceiling debate drags on, the House GOP’s bill, which was the first salvo of the conference in negotiations to raise the limit, has now placed the ball back in the Senate’s hands. Senate Majority leader Charles Schumer (D.N.Y.), has declared the measure “dead at arrival,” but House Republicans now push the chamber to respond.

As senators return Monday, the pressure is likely to increase. The House is not in session this week.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will also hold an ethics hearing this week in response to the revelations about Justice Clarence Thomas. Schumer could vote on a measure condemning the former president Trump’s request to defund both the FBI and Department of Justice.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is leading a congressional delegation bipartisan to Israel this coming week. He will speak to the Knesset – making him only the second speaker in history to do so.

Senate faces pressure on debt limit

After the Senate narrowly approved their bill to reduce the debt limit and cut spending last week, the House Republicans are increasing the pressure on them.

The bill, which is only supported by GOP legislators, would increase the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion, or until March 2024 – whichever first occurs. It also lays out $4.8 billion in spending cuts. Republicans hope the measure will bring President Biden back to the negotiation table, even though the White House has consistently said it would only approve a debt ceiling increase that is “clean”, meaning without conditions.

Biden has, however, said that he won’t negotiate the borrowing limit. Last week, President Obama said he was “happy” to meet with McCarthy but “not on whether or how the debt limit is extended,” calling that “not negotiable.”

The passage of the bill last week also increases pressure on the Senate, which will either have to take up the House GOP legislation – unlikely due to Democratic opposition – or make their own proposal in this high stakes debate.

Tom Emmer, House Majority Leader (R-Minn.), told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, “Our recommendation is that we pass it through the House and take it up in the Senate to pass it.”

“We passed a bill to address the debt ceiling. Martha, despite all the talk from our Senate colleagues, they have yet to pass any legislation. “If they have a better idea I’d like to see it and tell them that the Senate should pass it,” said House Majority leader Steve Scalise, R-La. During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” he said.

McCarthy focused on the Senate last week, just a few days after the House GOP passed the bill.

“Sen. “Sen. Schumer, if Schumer thinks he has a plan, then put it up on the floor and see if it can be passed, so we can move to conference,” said he. “But the president cannot put this economy at risk anymore,” he said. We’ve lifted the debt ceiling, sent it to Senate and done our part. “The only one in this room that has done their job.”

“I have to give credit to the Senate. They did declare March as maple syrup month. They have also congratulated UConn for its basketball victory and thanked them. “But they have done nothing in regards to the economy and the debt limit”, he continued.

Senate Democrats are not interested in the House GOP’s bill. Schumer called the bill “dead at arrival” and called for an “clean” increase in debt limits. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) On Sunday, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) criticized the cuts to spending in the measure.

The Republicans continued to pressure Biden over the weekend to join McCarthy for discussions despite the White House’s repeated statements that it would not negotiate the debt ceiling.

In an interview, Sen. Ted Cruz (R Texas) said: “I think we should be doing in Senate is standing up and supporting the House Republicans.” The House Republicans are leading the way right now. Senate Republicans should stand with the House to say, “Joe Biden, please come to the table.”

Liberal lawmakers, however, are looking for an escape route to avoid the U.S. falling off the fiscal edge. They’re eyeing a McConnell and Biden deal.

McConnell and Biden worked together to prevent a default on the national debt in 2011, as well as in 2021. Some Democrats hope that McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, will emerge to help negotiate a deal before the default deadline this summer.

McConnell, speaking to reporters last week before the House passed their bill, said that “until Biden and the Speaker of House reach an understanding, we will be in a standoff.”

The chair of the New Democrat Coalition (center-left), Ann McLane Kuster, D-N.H., told reporters Friday in her office that McConnell was now the one who would have to “pick up the baton”.

Kuster also added that McConnell had been through the same thing more than anyone else, except for President Biden. “And he is the one who, you know Wall Street CEOs, and economists, are going to be ringing him off the hook. We need an adult present in this room.” Then I think McConnell, Schumer and the White House will be involved. Hakeem is also going to be part of it. I don’t think the House bill will be used as a template. I don’t know, I thought the House bill was a sort of wish list.

Kuster said, “I believe we’ll be seeing movement. Even though people won’t actually be in Washington for the next 10 Days I think there will be much going on in Senate.” Then, I think we’ll be back to say that there will ultimately be an agreement. McConnell will be back with Schumer, Hakeem, Biden and Hakeem.

Rep. Ro Khanna, (D-Calif.), echoed a similar sentiment in an interview with ABC’s “Face the Nation”, saying “I believe the President will meet with Senator McConnell. He knows that we cannot default.”

Senate Judiciary Committee will hold an hearing on Supreme Court Ethics Reform

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on Supreme Court Ethics on Tuesday, following reports from ProPublica that revealed Justice Clarence Thomas took luxury trips paid for and arranged by conservative billionaire Harlan Crow.

The hearing, scheduled for 10 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, is expected to examine the need for enforceable reforms to the Supreme Court’s ethics code following revelations about Justices who have behaved in a way that falls short of the standards of conduct the American people expect.