House Democrats have put in motion a process they hope will force an increase to the debt ceiling by allowing a majority of lawmakers to bring a bill to the floor without the approval of Republican leadership. Democrats hatched the plan in January in case of a stalemate in talks, as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other Republicans continue to demand spending cuts before agreeing to raise the debt limit — something President Biden and Democrats have refused to consider. The Democratic strategy, known as a discharge petition, would require at least five Republicans to back it. If the debt limit is not increased, the government could default on its debts as soon as June 1. Meanwhile, The New York Times is reporting White House officials are debating a legal theory on the constitutionality of the debt ceiling itself, though it’s not known whether Biden would support such a challenge.