Politics & Government

SC GOP House Reps Vote to Extend Debt Ceiling

Buys the federal government three more months.

All of the Republicans in the South Carolina Congressional Delegation have voted in favor of the bill to raise the federal government's debt limit. The so-called "No Budget, No Pay" bill passed the House by a vote of 285-144. It is expected to be approved in the Senate with few changes according to Majority Leader Harry Reid.

The measure means the federal government will be able to keep borrowing until May 19. It also takes the debt ceiling off the table as a political debate for the next three months, which was a loser for Republicans in the eyes of most Americans.

It's a sharp contrast to the last debt ceiling debate when South Carolina's newest members of the House--Trey Gowdy, Mick Mulvaney, Tim Scott and Jeff Duncan were at the center of a bitter fight.

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Rep. Joe Wilson (R-2) released the following statement on the bill's passage:

“Today, House Republicans, with bipartisan support, made a significant stride in putting our fiscal house in order with the passage of the No Budget, No Pay Act. The primary reason our nation is in such financial turmoil and has accrued over sixteen trillion dollars in debt is due to the lack of fiscal responsibility by our federal government. For almost four years, the Senate has failed to fulfill its responsibility to the American people by passing a budget. If hardworking American families and small business owners choose not to spend beyond their means and follow a budget, it is the government's duty to abide by one as well.

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 “The House has acted. I encourage the Senate to do its job and pass a budget, or suffer the consequences and have their pay withheld.  Over the next few months, I look forward to working with my colleagues to rein in Washington’s out of control spending by supporting significant spending cuts and reforms that will place our nation back on the path to prosperity. The American people deserve it.”

South Carolina's lone Democrat in the House, Jim Clyburn, voted against the bill.

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