US House of Representatives votes to raise debt ceiling

Washington. The US House of Representatives voted on Wednesday evening on a law that would raise the debt ceiling so that the United States can meet its financial obligations. The proposal passed with a large majority of the votes of both parties: 314-117. But the number of votes against in the Republican group was significant: 71 out of 222. That seems to bode badly for the Republican leader, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who has thrown his entire weight behind the compromise.

The bill can now go to the Senate. A 60-40 majority is needed there for the bill to be signed by President Biden. And all of this preferably before Monday, because that is the day on which the US would otherwise no longer be able to pay its bills.

The law is the result of an agreement McCarthy and Biden struck over the weekend. In addition, the Republican leader agreed to raise the debt ceiling, necessary to meet financial obligations already entered into, in exchange for spending cuts. Afterwards, he portrayed the bill as a historic cut in the federal budget. The far right wing of his party didn’t believe it, calling the compromise “a shit sandwich” and threatening McCarthy with impeachment.

Freedom Caucus

That threat is not idle. McCarthy needed 15 rounds of voting in January to win over members of his own group and be elected Speaker of the House. Even then, it was the so-called Freedom Caucus, 43 members on the right wing, who eventually grudgingly supported him – after wresting a series of privileges from him. One of those privileges is that any member of the group can force a vote on the position of the chairman at any time. Over the past few days, a few Members have already played aloud with that idea.

In the end, 34 of the 43 members of the Freedom Caucus voted against the bill and another 37 more moderate Republicans. For example, it was the support of 165 Democrats that was decisive. In that group, the left-wing voted against, not wanting to approve the spending cuts Biden has committed to, or the additional obligations associated with unemployment benefits, or the relaxation of permits for infrastructure and the energy sector.

Members on the left and right wings of both parties have already said in the Senate that they cannot support the bill. Observers maintain that eventually a sufficient majority will support the proposal.

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