Friday, Congress passed a three-month debt ceiling hike along with a multi-billion dollar package that will provide federal aid to victims of Hurricane Harvey. The bill also provides aid to those as of yet impacted by monster storm Hurricane Irma.
From Politico:
The House cleared a package Friday to provide more than $15 billion in disaster aid for victims of Hurricane Harvey, raise the debt ceiling and fund the government for three months.President Donald Trump is expected to swiftly sign the bill, which delivered on the fiscal deal he struck with Democrats earlier this week. The House passed the bill 316-90, a day after the Senate passed it, 80-17.
Wednesday, Trump sidelined Republicans when met with Democrat leaders to strike a deal, which resulted in the Senate’s passage of the bill Thursday.
The 90 Congressman who voted against the bill were all Republican. Four of those ‘no’ votes were Texan.
Republicans had hoped to prolong the debt ceiling battle by 18 months, but this bill only extends the debt ceiling for three months.
The WaPo has the inside scoop and if their report is accurate, the entire ordeal has the entirety of the Republican caucus rankled:
Yet even the House Republicans who supported the bill were frustrated that Trump on Wednesday bargained with Democrats for a short-limit debt increase, undercutting GOP congressional leaders and setting up a messy end-of-year negotiation.That frustration was taken out Friday morning on Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, who came to Capitol Hill to urge skeptical Republican lawmakers to back the measure.To many GOP members, the administration’s messengers were poorly chosen: Mnuchin is a New York financier known for his past as a Democratic fundraiser. Mulvaney is a former House conservative who spent much of his legislative career browbeating GOP leaders over the national debt and budget deficits.“There were probably a lot of members in there in disbelief,” said Rep. Ryan Costello (R-Pa.). “I do know that there is a lot of frustration with the deal that was cut by the president, and I think it’s a very difficult pill for many in there to swallow.”At several points, according to several members and aides, comments from Mnuchin and Mulvaney were met with groans, boos and hisses.Mnuchin, in particular, drew jeers after rooting his final plea in personality rather than policy, then leaving the meeting early by explaining that he had other pressing matters to attend to.“His last words, and I quote, was, ‘Vote for the debt ceiling for me,’” said Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.), who leads a group of conservative members. “That did not go over well in the room at all. . . . His performance was incredibly poor.”Mnuchin’s closing went so poorly, Walker said, that House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had to remind members afterward that hundreds of thousands of hurricane victims were counting on their votes.
Speaker Ryan spun the deal as Congress’ ability to act quickly:
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