House Democrats are sending an early warning shot as the government’s borrowing window inches to a close: winning Democratic support for a debt-ceiling hike will come at a cost for Republicans.

The minority-party Democrats have little power to dictate the debate, but a number of conservative Republicans have long opposed debt limit increases to protest deficit spending. The dynamics could give Democrats leverage in the fight — and they say they intend to use it.

“We’d want to negotiate, because we know they’ve got a lot of Freedom Caucus folks who would never vote for a debt ceiling,” Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.) said.

“Of course we don't want a default,” he continued. “But if they're asking for our votes, there's other things — like the Department of Education — that are relatively important.”

Rep. Pete Aguilar (Calif.), chair of the House Democratic Caucus, delivered a similar message.

“We'll have those caucus family discussions,” he said. “But I think we all subscribe to the Nancy Pelosi model that nothing should be given away for free."

The deadline for the Treasury Department’s borrowing authority remains unclear, and GOP leaders remain confident they’ll have the time to include a debt limit increase in an emerging package of policy priorities and spending cuts at the heart of President Trump’s domestic agenda. That legislation is expected to move on a special procedural track, known as reconciliation, that would cut Democrats from the debate altogether.

Yet recent reports have revealed that government revenues are expected to plummet this year, partly as a result of Trump’s efforts to gut the IRS and other disruptions.

That development could accelerate the default deadline and force Republicans to pursue an alternative strategy........

© The Hill