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House Approves Moving Forward On Debt Ceiling Bill
(screen capture via C-SPAN)
House Passes Two-Year Budget Deal Increasing Spending With Trump’s Support
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| Donald Trump used to hate raising the debt ceiling… |
From the Washington Post:
The House passed a sweeping two-year budget deal Thursday that increases spending for military and domestic programs and suspends the debt ceiling through mid-2021, sending the White House-backed legislation to the Senate.
A large majority of Democrats voted for the legislation, while a majority of Republicans opposed it despite appeals from President Trump to support the bill.
The 284-149 vote was one of the last acts by the House before lawmakers leave Washington for a six-week summer recess. The Senate is expected to act on the bill next week and sent it to Trump for his signature before senators, too, abandon the Capitol for the summer.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters today, “After the House approves it today with bipartisan support, I expect the Senate to do the same next week.”
Trump is especially jazzed about the deal because it could help goose the economy in the short-term by borrowing tons more cash as we head into the 2020 election cycle. He tweeted his support in advance of the vote:
House Republicans should support the TWO YEAR BUDGET AGREEMENT which greatly helps our Military and our Vets. I am totally with you!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2019
But, of course, when he was running for president, the Donald was very critical of raising the debt limit.
There’s always a tweet…
I cannot believe the Republicans are extending the debt ceiling—I am a Republican & I am embarrassed!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2013
House votes 221-201 to raise debt limit to March 2015
After three years of threats and government closings, the House Republicans came to their senses and allowed a ‘clean’ vote on raising the debt limit until March 2015.
The vote – 221-201 – relied primarily on Democrats to carry the legislation, the first debt ceiling increase since 2009 that was not attached to other measures. Only 28 Republicans voted yes. But it effectively ended a three-year, Tea Party-fueled era when a series of budget showdowns raised the threat of debt defaults and government shutdowns, rattled economic confidence and brought serious scrutiny from an international community questioning Washington’s ability to govern.
The vote, brought by Speaker of the House John Boehner, angered Tea Party conservatives.
Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, said that Boehner should be replaced for his “lack of leadership.”
Promoting an online petition to dismiss Boehner, Martin said, “A clean debt ceiling is a complete capitulation on the speaker’s part and demonstrates that he has lost the ability to lead the House of Representatives, let alone his own party. It is time for him to go.”
White House and congress leaders come to agreement on debt ceiling
From yahoo.com: President Barack Obama and Republican congressional leaders reached historic agreement Sunday night on a compromise to permit vital U.S. borrowing by the Treasury in exchange for more than $2 trillion in long-term spending cuts.
Officials said Republican Speaker John Boehner telephoned Obama at mid-evening to say the agreement had been struck.
No votes were expected in either house of Congress until Monday at the earliest, to give rank and file lawmakers to review the package.