House Democrats pushed ahead on Wednesday with a procedural transfer that might drive a vote to extend the debt restrict ought to negotiations between President Biden and Republicans collapse, shifting regardless of indicators of progress within the bipartisan talks to advance a long-shot Plan B to avert a default.

Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic chief, wrote to his colleagues urging them to shortly signal a discharge petition, which can automatically force a House vote on laws if a majority of 218 members signal it.

Though Mr. Jeffries famous there have been signs after Tuesday’s White House meeting hosted by Mr. Biden {that a} “real pathway exists to find an acceptable, bipartisan resolution that prevents a default,” he stated Democrats should take all attainable steps to avert a disaster.

The Treasury Department has projected that it might exceed its authorized authority to borrow to pay the federal government’s debt as early as June 1, resulting in a disastrous default.

“Given the impending June 1 deadline and urgency of the moment, it is important that all legislative options be pursued in the event that no agreement is reached,” Mr. Jeffries wrote. He stated that Representative Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, the senior Democrat on the Budget Committee, can be submitting a discharge petition “to provide a vehicle that may be necessary to protect the full faith and credit of the United States.”

“It is imperative that members make every effort to sign the discharge petition today,” Mr. Jeffries wrote. If all 213 of their members signed on, Democrats would wish at the least 5 Republicans to affix them, and it’s unlikely they might win these converts except the scenario grew dire.

The technique faces lengthy odds given the complexity of the maneuver and the partisan divide within the debt talks. But even when it falls brief, Democrats say the discharge petition retains stress on Republican leaders to strike a deal or face a possible revolt amongst their extra politically weak members who might pay a value with voters if they’re seen as serving to to push the nation into default. Democrats additionally see the petition as a strategy to display that their occasion is doing all it could to forestall an financial debacle.

Representative Tom Cole, Republican of Oklahoma and a number one legislative tactician as chairman of the Rules Committee, stated Tuesday that he doubted Republicans would cross over and signal on.

“I don’t think we are in any trouble,” Mr. Cole stated in an interview. “I don’t think anybody wants to be one of about a half a dozen that hands victory over to Biden.”

The Democratic maneuver is taken into account a final resort, and such efforts have hardly ever labored up to now given the obstacles put in the best way. Even if the backers of the petition have been to acquire the required signatures, House guidelines stipulate that the laws may very well be voted on solely on particular days.

Aware of the constraints, Democrats quietly took steps earlier this 12 months to verify that they had ample time to execute their plan, introducing an obscure invoice that may very well be used as a car for an eventual debt restrict enhance so it may very well be referred to committees in time to expire the 30-day clock that House guidelines require earlier than a measure could be discharged. This month, they filed a special emergency proposal that cleared the best way for them to start amassing signatures this week.

Democrats see Republicans in swing districts carried by Mr. Biden as these probably to be swayed within the occasion of a default since they may very well be most at political danger.

But Mr. Cole stated that House Republicans from these districts had been probably the most dependable backers of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who would oppose a discharge petition since it could primarily take management of the ground out of his palms.

“I don’t think they are likely to crack,” he stated.

In his letter, Mr. Jeffries famous that former President Donald J. Trump had inspired Republicans to permit the nation to default if Republicans can not extract deep spending cuts from Democrats, a place that might encourage Republicans to carry out within the talks.

“In the next few weeks, at the reckless urging of former President Trump,” he wrote, “we confront the possibility that right-wing extremists will intentionally plunge our country into a default crisis.”