A debt ceiling is a legal limit on the amount of debt a government can borrow. When a government reaches its debt ceiling, it can no longer borrow money to pay its bills. This can lead to a government shutdown, a default on its debt, or both.
The debt ceiling is an important tool for controlling government spending. By limiting the amount of debt a government can borrow, the debt ceiling helps to ensure that the government does not spend more money than it takes in. This can help to keep inflation under control and prevent the government from accumulating too much debt.