They had to pass that increase. It's to allow for existing commitments. I heard on FOX's Special Report in the last couple of days that if they don't, they'll have to default on our debt to China.

There was a group of senators who put together some bipartisan deficit reduction committee and said they wouldn't vote to raise the debt ceiling unless that committee got certain powers in the Senate. I remember some Democratic senator, Conrad was the liberal lead on it. I forget who his Republican counterpart is. It's just a committee, but at least they did that much. Or, are supposed, I'm not sure where that is this week.

It's the timing that's controversial. They're increasing it for the entire next year so they don't have to do it again just before the next election. Usually the increases are smaller. And, that's why they're doing it now. They didn't want to do it just before the MA election.