Senate Democrats tee up debt ceiling standoff as McConnell vows opposition

Washington — Lawmakers are facing the prospect of a bitter battle over increasing the nation's debt limit in the fall, with Democrats seeking to pressure Republicans to go along with a hike as GOP leaders vow to resist it.

Senate Democrats did not include an increase to the federal debt ceiling in their newly unveiled $3.5 trillion budget resolution, which can pass without Republican support. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reiterated Monday that GOP senators would not support an increase, citing "reckless" spending by Democrats. "Our friends across the aisle should not expect traditional bipartisan borrowing to finance their nontraditional reckless taxing and spending spree," McConnell said on the Senate floor Monday. "That's not how this works."