Dick Durbin Wants Debt Ceiling Determined By Unelected Treasury Secretary

HARLOW: “You introduced last year the Debt Ceiling Reform Act, and that would essentially kick this responsibility from Congress to the Treasury secretary. So essentially to one unelected individual. Why should that be taken out of the hands of Congress, noting that Congress has taken us to the brink before and it can be disastrous for the economy? Isn’t that why you guys are elected, to do this hard stuff?”

DURBIN: “Well, of course, that’s true. But the fact is, there’s been political gamesmanship when it comes to our debt ceiling over the last 20 or so years. And we got to bring this to an end. We shouldn’t put the economy of the United States in peril, because we’re in the midst of preparing for a presidential campaign. And my belief, and others share it, is that saying to Congress, that you can disagree with the president on extending the debt ceiling, but you have to do it with an extraordinary vote. I think that’s — that’s us come up on the record on this issue without jeopardizing the economy.”