05/14/2023
Check out this informative article about the US debt ceiling and why it matters.
The debt ceiling is the upper limit of money that the government can borrow and has been raised 78 times over the past seven decades. The current limit of $31.4 trillion was reached in January, and Congress must once again raise the ceiling by early June, or the US government could default on its debt. This would have far-reaching consequences for the US and global economy, including delays to the payment of salaries, social security payments, healthcare subsidies, and the potential loss of jobs.
A default could also severely weaken global trade, cause a sharp decline in the US dollar, and spike the prices of oil and other commodities. The article discusses the main sticking points, with the Republican Party refusing to hike the debt ceiling without sweeping budget cuts, while President Biden wants the debt ceiling to be raised without conditions. Read on to learn more about this important issue.
The US government could start to run out of money if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling by the end of the month. DW looks at the wider impact of a possible debt default.