U.S. debt limit is not a partisan issue, White House says

[September 22, 2021]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's administration will continue to argue that the U.S. debt limit is not a partisan issue and push Republicans and Democrats to vote to raise it, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Tuesday.

Clouds pass over the White House in Washington, U.S., September 21, 2021. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

Congress faces a Sept. 30 deadline to approve stop-gap funding that would avert partial government shutdowns with the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1.

"We will continue to make the case that it should be" raised, Psaki told reporters on board Air Force One. "It is not a partisan issue to want to protect the full faith and credit of the United States, and... we will continue to press for bipartisan support for moving forward."

Republicans have refused to vote to increase the debt limit, citing Democrats' spending plans on infrastructure and social programs.

Some of the increase necessary to stave off a shutdown is related to spending that Republicans supported during Donald Trump's presidency, including last December's emergency COVID-19 relief bill.

(Reporting by Heather Timmons; Editing by Chris Reese and Dan Grebler)

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