House votes to approve debt ceiling deal, on to the Senate

I concluded No Labels could field third-party candidate next year by telling my readers to "Stay tuned for June, when I plan on writing about the debt ceiling tomorrow, after the House of Representatives votes on the measure. That should be interesting." That happened last night, as WUSA9 reported US House approves debt ceiling package to avoid default.

With the House vote of 314-117, the bill now heads to the Senate with passage expected by week's end.

That's a good summary of the results. Reuters presented the highlights of the debate leading up to the vote in House passes debt ceiling bill with broad support. Don't worry about the lack of a preview image; the video will play. Besides, it would most likely have shown Kevin "Pickled Tongue" McCarthy and Elise Stefanik and I'd rather they not get the attention.

The bill to suspend the $31.4 trillion debt limit made it through the House of Representatives. The legislation now goes to the Senate, which must enact it and get it to President Joe Biden's desk by June 5 to avoid a crippling US default.

Play up the victory while you can, Pickled Tongue. This isn't the great win you think it is.

The Guardian had more on the vote and Democratic objections to the bill in US House passes bill to suspend debt ceiling just days before default.

The final House vote was 314 to 117, with 149 Republicans and 165 Democrats supporting the measure. In a potentially worrisome sign for the House Republican speaker, Kevin McCarthy, 71 members of his conference opposed the deal that he brokered with President Joe Biden.
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However, the concessions that McCarthy won fell far short for members of the freedom caucus, who had pushed for steeper spending cuts and much stricter work requirements for benefits programs. They belittled the debt ceiling compromise as a paltry effort to tackle the nation’s debt, which stands at more than $31tn.
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House freedom caucus members staged one last attempt to block the debt ceiling bill from advancing on Wednesday afternoon, when they opposed a procedural motion prior to the final vote. With 29 Republicans voting against the motion, McCarthy had to rely on Democratic assistance to advance the debt ceiling proposal. In the end, 52 Democrats voted for the motion, setting up the final vote and virtually ensuring the bill’s passage.

Both the support and the opposition were bipartisan, although more Democrats supported the compromise than Republicans. Just the same, the Democrats held their noses to vote yes.

Despite his sharp criticism of McCarthy and his Republican colleagues, Jeffries and the majority of the House Democratic caucus supported the debt ceiling bill. Although they lamented the spending cuts included in the bill, those Democrats argued the crucial importance of avoiding a default outweighed their personal concerns about the legislation.

“Our constitution makes perfectly clear the validity of the public debt of the United States shall not be questioned,” said California representative Nancy Pelosi, the former Democratic House speaker. “While I find this legislation objectionable, it will avert an unprecedented default, which would bring devastation to America’s families.”

But dozens of progressive lawmakers opposed the bill, attacking the spending cuts and new work requirements procured by McCarthy as an affront to the voters who elected them.

“Republicans never cared about reducing the deficit, only about forcing through their anti-working family policy priorities under the threat of a catastrophic default,” said Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “The deal they passed tonight proves that point, and I could not be part of their extortion scheme.”

Progressives in the Senate, including Senator Bernie Sanders, have echoed that criticism and indicated they plan to oppose the debt ceiling proposal, but the bill still appears likely to become law. The Senate Democratic majority leader, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, has pledged to act swiftly to take up the bill once it has passed the House. The Senate Republican minority leader, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has already indicated he plans to support the proposal as well.

One of those senators who oppose at least one provision of the bill is Tim Kaine of Virginia, who Alex Wagner interviewed on MSNBC while the House voted. He exclaimed 'Gimme a break!': Sen. Kaine vows to strip pipeline from debt ceiling deal.

Senator Tim Kaine talks with Alex Wagner about his objection to the inclusion of Mountain Valley Pipeline in the debt ceiling deal and his intention to remove that portion of the bill with an amendment when it comes to the Senate for consideration. While that piece of the deal is seen as a political concession to Joe Manchin, Kaine expresses particular frustration at not being consulted despite the pipeline affecting portions of his state, Virginia.

I don't like the pipeline, either, but I don't think Kaine's attempt to remove it from the bill will succeed. Every Republican plus Joe Manchin will vote against his amendment. If one more Senator joins them, it will fail. If they don't, I expect Vice President Kamala Harris will vote against it, breaking the tie, and it will still fail. After that happens, I also expect Kaine to vote yes on it, and it will go to President Biden to be signed. Crisis averted!

That written, I think this is the 2023 version of 2011's Satan Sandwich. I know it's necessary, but I don't have to like it.