Congress passed a short-term raising of the debt ceiling to December on Tuesday, averting a looming government shutdown.
The House voted on the Senate Amendment to the House Amendment to S. 1301, a bill to temporarily extend the debt limit. The bill passed 219-206, with strong Democrat support and most Republicans voting against the measure.
H.Res. 716 was adopted – 219 Yeas, 206 Nays
— Republican Cloakroom (@RepCloakroom) October 12, 2021
The bill would raise the debt ceiling by $480 billion, or to December 3, the same day that government funding expires. This would set up a potential fight between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Senate Republicans caved to Democrats last week after promising that they would not help Schumer raise the debt ceiling. However, after Schumer lambasted Republicans, McConnell said he would no longer help Schumer.
McConnell told President Joe Biden in a letter that Schumer “poisoned the well” and said Schumer exhibited “childish behavior.”
“Last night, Republicans filled the leadership vacuum that has troubled the Senate since January. I write to inform you that I will not provide such assistance again if your all-Democrat government drifts into another avoidable crisis,” McConnell wrote to Biden.
Grassroots conservative organizations panned the vote to temporarily raise the debt ceiling.
Adam Brandon, the president of FreedomWorks, said:
The Democrats’ decision to ‘deem’ the debt ceiling hike passed under a rule vote is at best a cowardly way to deal with America’s financial troubles. It’s precisely this type of feckless legislation that Americans cannot stand about Washington, D.C.
Put simply, voting to increase the debt ceiling without any meaningful spending reform is irresponsible. Worse still, we will be back in the same place as soon as the federal government blows through this $480 billion stopgap measure.
Congressional leaders must stop playing politics and for once place the economic well-being of our country ahead of unnecessary spending fights.
Garrett Bess, the vice president of Heritage Action, said in a statement Tuesday:
Congressional Democrats voted to raise the debt limit to attempt to solve a ‘crisis’ of their own creation. Make no mistake, any attempt to attach urgency to raising the debt limit without reforms is simply spin from Democrat leadership to finance their $3.5 trillion tax, debt, and spending spree, and the American people will not stand for it.
He added, “Republicans are right not to enable this manufactured crisis. Raising the debt limit also fails to address Washington’s addiction to running up the national debt. Congress must instead pursue real spending reforms and return to a true debt limit. “”
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.