Rep. Morgan Griffith votes against CCB (most likely because of the implied debt ceiling increase). Still, the House Republicans have now drawn a line in the sand.
If Obama rejects the only plan that will pass the House and preserve America’s credit rating, it will now be his fault alone.
UPDATE: Dem yeas: Boren, Cooper, Matheson, McIntyre, Shuler
GOP nays: Bachmann, Broun, Canseco, DesJarlais, Griffith, Jones, Mack, Paul, Rohrabacher
Update: Griffith issues the following statement explaining his vote –
“I support the general goal of cut, cap, and balance, and I appreciate House leadership bringing this concept to the floor for a vote. However, to keep my commitments made to my constituents, I cannot support raising the debt ceiling without significant cuts and a substantial change to the way Washington spends taxpayer dollars. The Balanced Budget Amendment, if passed by the House and Senate and then by the States, would substantially change the way Washington spends money, but I have repeatedly stated that year one cuts must be more than $100-200 billion. While I realize House leadership has to work with a President who is late coming to the discussion, and who is not reasonable about the seriousness of the debt and deficit problem in this country, I could not turn my back on commitments made to my constituents. This plan would reduce spending by $111 billion next year. With the budget deficit this year predicted to reach nearly $1.5 trillion and a debt that has ballooned from $10.6 trillion just two years ago to $14.3 trillion now, we must cut more.
“To put these numbers into perspective, divide everything by $100 million. Suppose that a family has a total of $14,300 in credit card debt, and each year they add $1,500 in new debt to the card. Cutting $111 from this year’s new debt does not seem like enough to make a substantial difference.”
Statement from Rep. Scott Rigell:
“The current spending trajectory is unacceptable,” Rigell said. “Defaulting on the debt is also unacceptable,” Rigell said. “Now is the time for the nation to tackle this problem head on – not kick the can down the road. This legislation is an attempt to find a compromise, and I hope the Senate and the President can appreciate that.”
“With unemployment at 9.2%, we need to create an environment that reverses this dangerous trend,” Rigell said. “This legislation raises the debt ceiling while implementing real spending cuts and moving a balanced budget amendment forward – which will reduce the uncertainty that is hampering job growth.”
Rep. Robert Hurt:
“If we are serious about putting an end to the reckless government spending that has led to a $14 trillion debt, a $1.5 trillion deficit, and crippling economic uncertainty, we need to put in place both short and long term institutional spending reforms to change the culture in Washington and force the federal government to live within its means.
“Once again delivering on the message sent by Central and Southside Virginians last November to rein in out of control government spending, the House has passed commonsense legislation that implements immediate and significant spending cuts, puts in place enforceable caps that reduce spending as a percentage of GDP, and requires the passage of a balanced budget amendment.
“Washington has a spending problem. And while the Administration and Congressional Democrats continue to support the current spending status quo, the House will make the tough but necessary choices to reduce our debt and deficits, return certainty to the marketplace so that our job creators will have the confidence necessary to hire and expand, and preserve the American dream for our children and grandchildren.”
Rep. Randy Forbes:
“There comes a moment during the debate surrounding every crisis when even the shrill voices of the participants can no longer cloak the clearness of the choices that must be made. That moment has now arisen. No nation, business, or individual can long escape the pain of spending more than it makes. While today we feel the pain of past decisions, let us have the resolve to protect our nation’s future from the deception that comes with the belief that the principles of economic reason apply to everyone but ourselves.”
