House Speaker Kevin McCarthy “threatened to be the first one to default on the debt, which would throw us in a gigantic recession and beyond, unless he gets what he wants the budget.”
– President Biden, April 18, 2023
Times since 1978 alone that Congress has paired debt ceiling hikes with other legislation: 32
(Sources: “Remarks by President Biden on Actions to Help Families Access Care and Support Care Workers and Family Caregivers,” Speeches and Remarks, Briefing Room, April 18, 2023, Remarks by President Biden on Actions to Help Families Access Care and Support Care Workers and Family Caregivers | The White House and “US debt ceiling: A ‘clean’ increase is not the rule,” Reuters, May 1, 2023, US debt ceiling: A ‘clean’ increase is not the rule | Reuters)
RealityChek 