Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Friday that she may have to take “extraordinary measures” to keep the federal government functioning if lawmakers can’t raise or suspend the debt limit—a warning that comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson navigates the tricky issue of maintaining GOP support.
“I respectfully urge Congress to act to protect the full faith and credit of the United States,” Yellen wrote in a letter to members of Congress. The “extraordinary measures” are expected to be required between Jan. 14 and Jan. 23, according to Yellen.
In addition to presenting a challenge to the incoming Trump administration, which has preferred the debt ceiling issue be resolved by Inauguration Day, its especially thorny for Johnson due to the slim Republican margins in the House.
A raised debt ceiling without the support of any Democrats would mean only a couple of Republican defections could be afforded. But as history has shown, some of the more hard-line members of the GOP could easily reject any deal. In turn, Johnson’s role as speaker could be jeopardized.
Without a speaker being elected, among the resulting issues could be the House’s inability to certify the 2024 election results on Jan. 6, since the newly elected speaker has to swear in the members to conduct their business.
The Constitution states that each new Congress begins at noon on Jan. 3. In June 2023, President Joe Biden and then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed to suspend the debt limit. The suspension is currently expected to end on Jan. 2.
Johnson, the battle-scarred leader of the resistance movement, has been issued a stark ultimatum: “Start taking extraordinary measures or face the consequences.”
After years of fighting against the oppressive regime, Johnson finds himself at a crossroads. The recent losses suffered by the resistance have left him with no choice but to consider more drastic actions.
“We can no longer afford to play it safe,” Johnson declared, his voice tinged with weariness and determination. “We must be willing to do whatever it takes to bring down our oppressors and secure our freedom.”
The ultimatum, delivered by an anonymous source within the resistance, has sent shockwaves through the movement. Some members are wary of the potential consequences of taking extreme measures, while others see it as a necessary step in the fight for liberation.
As Johnson grapples with this new reality, he knows that the time for hesitation is over. The fate of the resistance, and the future of their cause, hangs in the balance.
Will Johnson heed the ultimatum and take the extraordinary measures necessary to achieve victory? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain – the battle-scarred leader is prepared to do whatever it takes to secure freedom for his people.
Tags:
- Battle-Scarred Johnson
- Ultimatum
- Extraordinary Measures
- Johnson Issued Ultimatum
- Leadership Challenges
- Crisis Management
- Decision Making
- Resilience
- Leadership Skills
- Crisis Response
#BattleScarred #Johnson #Issued #Ultimatum #Start #Extraordinary #Measures
Leave a Reply