But the use of borrowed money might run afoul of conservatives who waged a fierce battle this summer over raising the government’s borrowing authority. Robert Bixby, executive director of the Concord Coalition, a conservative fiscal group, said leaders would need to show that the bonds have a “credible payback plan” and explain how they planned to avert an increase in the deficit or the debt.

“It might sound inconsistent to the members who fought a debt limit increase. They would have to explain why this new debt should not count as new debt,” Bixby said.