Republican Rebellion Stalls Debt-Ceiling Vote

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Human Events:

A showdown with Democrats to raise the debt ceiling turned into a Republican rebellion Thursday night that forced House Speaker John Boehner to abruptly pull his legislation from the floor to court his own caucus for votes.

Republicans and freshmen Tea Party members filed into the speaker’s office for last-minute arm-twisting, but many left saying they still planned to vote no, some making their way to the chapel to pray.

Rep. Hal Rogers (R.-Ky.), the powerful Appropriations Committee chairman, was reportedly seen ushering the lawmakers into Boehner’s office.

Rep. Louis Gohmert (R.-Tex.) said afterward he was a "bloody, beaten down no.”

Other Republican lawmakers who remained no votes after meeting with Boehner include Jason Chaffetz of Utah, Jeff Flake of Arizona, and Jeff Duncan and Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina.

Earlier in the day, Boehner said at a press conference that his compromise was the best deal for Republicans.

“The bill is not perfect, I never said it was perfect, no one in my caucus thinks it’s perfect,” Boehner said.

This is the second plan in as many weeks House Republicans have sent to the Senate to avoid default. With the Aug. 2 deadline approaching, Democrats have not put their own plan on the floor for a vote. Neither has Obama offered a plan for action.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid kept his caucus on standby, declaring that within minutes of House passage, he intended to bring up Boehner’s Budget Control Act of 2011 and defeat the measure.

The legislation would reduce the deficit by $917 billion over 10 years, while allowing a short-term rise in the deficit ceiling of $900 billion. It would cap discretionary spending and create a bipartisan congressional committee to recommend future spending cuts.

The measure also requires both Houses to vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution by the end of the year. The House was planning to vote on the amendment Friday.

During the debate Thursday, Democrats called Boehner’s bill “a sham,” “abusive,” “slash-and-burn politics,” “radical,” a “manufactured crisis,” and one that will bring “historical hardship” and “poverty,” and kill millions of jobs.