The ask will come at the Democrats’ caucus meeting Wednesday morning. | REUTERS House Dems oppose GOP debt hike

The House Democratic leadership will recommend its members vote against the Republican plan to lift the debt ceiling, sources tell POLITICO.

The ask will come at the Democrats’ caucus meeting Wednesday morning. Leadership is not formally whipping against the legislation, which will be on the floor Wednesday.


Democratic leadership wants Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to force the GOP to pass the bill on its own, which means Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has to find 218 Republicans to bring it over the finish line.

The party has struggled to coalesce around legislation, but seems to have united around the debt ceiling hike after its retreat last weekend. The bill would technically suspend the debt ceiling until May 19, but allow the president to use the necessary borrowing authority in the meantime.

The Democratic recommendation doesn’t mean no members of its party will support the GOP measure. Once the bill’s passage is secured, Democratic leadership expects “dozens” of its members to join the GOP in favor of the legislation.

The GOP’s plan not only suspends the debt ceiling until May, but also suspends pay for lawmakers if either chamber fails to pass a 2014 budget. GOP leadership is confident that it will pass.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has not formally decided how to handle the bill, if it passes the House. He is likely to accept it in some form, since President Barack Obama said he will not block the legislation.