Boyle Files Discharge Petition To Protect Nation From Default

WASHINGTON, DC — – Today, Pennsylvania Congressman Brendan F. Boyle, Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, filed a petition to discharge a special rule to provide consideration of a debt ceiling bill. Ranking Member Boyle's petition is now available for signature by every Member of the House who is committed to averting default and protecting the American people from economic catastrophe.

Under House parliamentary rules, once a petition has garnered 218 signatures, a motion to discharge can then be offered on the Floor and the measure can be put to a vote. In this specific case, discharging the special rule will provide a legislative vehicle for raising the debt ceiling.

“We are exactly two weeks away from a potential catastrophic default – the urgency of the moment cannot be overstated. I am filing this petition to give Congress another path forward to protect American livelihoods, small businesses, our economy and national security, and ensure earned benefits and bills are paid on time,” said Ranking Member Boyle. “Filing this petition does not preclude a deal or prevent other action – but it does create flexibility so Congress can come together to act.

“But let's be clear: this did not have to happen. By taking our economy hostage and refusing to address the debt ceiling, MAGA extremists have forced Congress to consider other pathways to meet our constitutional obligation – something Congress has done more than 100 times before on a bipartisan basis, including three times in the previous administration,” Boyle continued. “We intend to gather 218 signatures from Democrats and Republicans so we can ensure America pays its bills.”

In her most recent letter to Congress, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reaffirmed that the U.S. could default on its obligations as soon as June 1, 2023 if Congress does not act. Industry leaders and economic experts across the ideological spectrum have repeatedly warned Congress of the painful costs of default and brinkmanship. According to Moody's Analytics, a prolonged breach of the debt ceiling would spark a recession, kill 7 million jobs, more than double the unemployment rate, erase trillions in household wealth and retirement savings, shrink the U.S. economy by more than 4 percent, and wound our economy for years to come.

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