The U.S. House of Representatives voted Tuesday along party lines 219-206 to temporarily extend the federal debt limit to early December.
With the Democrat-controlled Congress now having reached a short-term agreement to increase the nation’s debt ceiling, the measure now heads to the desk of President Joe Biden for his signature.
The U.S. Senate last week saw a deal struck between Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) which allowed the body to invoke cloture by a 60-vote threshold. As part of the deal, a faction of Senate Republicans joined McConnell in allowing the threshold to be met, resulting in Democrats being able to pass the debt ceiling increase alone.
Among the members of the Senate GOP caucus supporting the cloture motion was U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), while U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) opposed it. The final vote to increase the debt ceiling in the upper chamber was a party-line vote of 50-48.
As Tuesday’s House vote was strictly partisan, all Republican members of Alabama’s congressional delegation voted against raising the debt limit.
U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) issued a statement slamming Democrats’ move to increase the limit of debt the federal government can incur. He cited the national debt, which currently sits at $28.8 trillion.
“Washington Debt Junkies can’t kick the habit,” stated Brooks. “They continue to push financial insanity to new heights by adding $480 billion to America’s debt limit. America’s debt will soon blow through the $30 trillion mark. That is roughly $90,000 in debt for every man, woman and child in America. America’s deficit exceeded $3 trillion in [fiscal year] 2020 and is projected by the Congressional Budget Office to again break the $3 trillion mark in [fiscal year] 2021.”
The North Alabama congressman expressed the belief that if the federal government continues on its current trajectory of borrowing and spending levels, the nation will decline in prestige as a result.
“Debt Junkie spending is excessive. It is dangerous. Yet, Debt Junkies refuse to acknowledge the error of their ways and do what is necessary to avoid a debilitating national insolvency and bankruptcy,” Brooks added. “Without corrective measures, that’s where America is headed. Debt junkies must face reality, or America’s greatness will be relegated to a shadow of its former self.”
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.