Growing Support for Rival Plans
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on July 28th, 2011 4:39 am by HL
Growing Support for Rival Plans
House Republicans and Senate Democrats gained substantial support “within party ranks for their separate plans to resolve a looming debt crisis, but the momentum seemed to be pushing both sides further from a compromise,” the New York Times reports.
“It was a day in which Capitol Hill seemed to operate in alternate realities: Republicans in the House sharing near universal belief that the Senate will eventually cave and accept their plan, and Senate Democrats assured that they will have the last word over the weekend and ultimately force the hand of the House.”
The Wall Street Journal notes the House was headed for a cliffhanger vote today on Speaker John Boehner’s revised plan “that could go a long way in determining if the government’s borrowing limit is raised in time to avoid a possible default next week… At least 18 House Republicans have said they would oppose Mr. Boehner’s plan. He can’t lose more than 23 GOP votes if no Democrats support the bill. “
Roll Call: “If Boehner’s bill passes today, Reid will have to decide whether to try to vote it down symbolically or to amend it and send it back to the House for final passage. If Boehner falls short of the 217 votes needed to pass his plan, Senate Democrats will likely start the formal process of moving on their bill and hope it passes their chamber.”