Debt ceiling bill: key takeaways from the vote
Divisions were revealed, between and among party
members, but both sides are counting the passage as a win
Guardian
staff
Thu 1 Jun
2023 04.05 BST
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/31/debt-ceiling-bill-key-takeaways-from-the-vote
The US
House of Representatives passed the much-debated debt ceiling bill on Wednesday
evening, moving the country closer to avoiding a potentially catastrophic
default. Next up in line is the Senate, the Democrat majority chamber, which
would push the bill to Joe Biden’s desk.
But the
vote on Wednesday revealed the divided lines, not only between Republicans and
Democrats, but within the parties. Here are some key takeaways from this vote
on the Fiscal Responsibility Act:
Kevin
McCarthy’s party faced significant internal resistance
More
Democrats (165) than Republicans (149) supported the measure – something the
right wing may use as evidence that the bill was a bad deal for their side.
Indeed, the Republican opposition to the bill is much louder than that of
progressive Democrats, who are concerned about the cuts to benefits programs
and the impact on climate.
Key
Democratic programs and priorities will feel the effects
An
estimated 750,000 could lose food stamp benefits due to the new work
requirements, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a
progressive thinktank. And in another blow to progressives, the bill gives
special treatment to the Mountain Valley pipeline.
A quarter
of the $80bn of newly allotted funding to refurbish the IRS will also be cut
from Biden’s key legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act
But it
preserves health plans, Social Security and other programs
The bill
will not impact Medicaid benefits, the main government health program for low
income Americans, or social security, even though McCarthy tried to keep the
debate open on such programs just hours ahead of Wednesday’s vote. Republicans
attempted to cut these plans to curb government spending. However the bill will
avoid more increases to the bloated US defense budget.
And the
agreement will fully fund medical care for veterans at the levels included in
Biden’s proposed 2024 budget blueprint.
Both Biden
and McCarthy are counting this as a win
While
critics say the president could have avoided making multiple concessions, the
president touted his ability to bring the deal together under heated
circumstances, and the bipartisanship he has famously campaigned on.
“This
budget agreement is a bipartisan compromise,” the president said in a statement
reacting to the news. “Neither side got everything it wanted. That’s the
responsibility of governing. I want to thank speaker McCarthy and his team for
negotiating in good faith, as well as leader Jeffries for his leadership. This
agreement is good news for the American people and the American economy.”
McCarthy,
meanwhile, claimed the bill would herald the “largest savings in American
history” during the floor debate, though this is not quite accurate.
“I have
been thinking about this day before my vote for speaker because I knew the debt
ceiling was coming. And I wanted to make history. I wanted to do something no
other Congress has done,” McCarthy told reporters after the vote. “Tonight, we
all made history.”
The Senate
is already making moves to move the bill forward
Chuck
Schumer, the Senate majority leader has already put the debt limit bill on the
Senate calendar to start the process on Thursday. There is likely to be some
resistance there as well, as progressives such as Bernie Sanders have already
signaled their concerns, but the bill is expected to pass.
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário