why did increasing the debt ceiling cause contentious debate in 2011 
from 2008 to 2010 congress raised the debt ceiling from 10 6 trillion to 14 3 trillion 3 in 2011 as the economy showed early signs of recovery and federal debt approached its limit again negotiations began in congress to decide spending priorities a heated debate ensued between pro debt politicians and fiscal conservatives pro debt politicians argued that failing to raise the limit could result in late partial or missed payments to social security and medicare recipients government employees and government contractors fiscal conservatives argued that any debt limit increase should come with limits on federal spending and debt accumulation the bottom linefollowing the 2007 08 financial crisis in an effort to slow down the great recession as well as the persistently high unemployment rate the u s government increased federal spending as a result the federal debt reached its limit on multiple occasions from 2008 to 2011 which led to a series of increases in the debt limit in 2011 the treasury asked for its borrowing capacity to be extended the 2011 u s debt ceiling crisis was a contentious debate in congress that occurred in july 2011 regarding the maximum amount of debt that the federal government should be allowed congress resolved the debt ceiling crisis by passing the budget control act of 2011 which became law on aug 2 2011 6 this act allowed the debt ceiling to be raised by 2 4 trillion in two phases or installments 