Debt Ceiling Hike and Harvey Aid Bill Head to Trump’s Desk
He’s expected to sign quickly
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:
Congress acted quickly to pass a big #HurricaneHarvey aid package. Just signed this bill, sending it off to the @WhiteHouse. pic.twitter.com/tghD4XHmEF
— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) September 8, 2017
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Comments
Trump is trying to train congress to one bill one topic.
This is close. No pork.
Like training a house dog then.
“On the paper boy, on the paper!”
Kemberly, did you really intend to use the words “Republican” and “leadership” in the same sentence with no quotes around the latter? Trump saved them from their usual humiliation every time the debt ceiling comes up. They ALWAYS demand (LOL!) concessions – no funding for Planned Parenthood is the usual one – and ALWAYS cave at the last minute. They should be kissing Trumps ring for saving them.
the republicans have been dissing POTUS and showing how inconsequential they are.
I have been voting republican from the days of RR, may he rest in peace.
I no longer care if the elephants in the room are in majority when they act like jackasses. They are ALL part of the entrenched DC Swamp Rats.
for how many years did they run on repeal of obamacare and now when there is a man with balls who wants to sign such a bill, where are they ?????
same thing with DACA.
screw ’em all!!!!
Rags, you gonna complain about about POTUS again, huh ?
where are the #antitrumpers when it comes to protecting what was at one time a constitutional republic?
what about the NORKS who along with I-Ran and the I-Slamic hoards ???
have a nice weekend thinking about this and don’y puke too much.
RE: “they act like jackasses”
You’re so right, they’re not Republicans, they’re Democrats spelt with an “R.”
There are many members of the Senate, mostly Republican, who have forgotten just who is President.
This might help some of them remember.
Worse yet… they have forgotten who elected them.
No, this does not hurt Trump with his base. The GOP leaders wanted an 18 month extension to get past the 2018 election. Didn’t happen. This one expires at the end of the year. Just in time for Campaign 2018 to begin to heat up. Ask Jeff Flake how having Trump against him is working out.
So GOP Leadership (and Dems in Trump States) – what about Obamacare repeal? the Wall? Tax Reform? Infrastructure Construction? Etc? Etc? Etc?
I have no problem with kicking the debt ceiling issue 3 months down the road in order to get Harvey relief and later to get the Irma relief dollars.
There is enough to get done before the end of September – budget, tax reform, nominations. If this concerns the Rs that much, they can always work on the debt ceiling in September, why wait until late December to cave in again.
a short-limit debt increase, undercutting GOP congressional leaders and setting up a messy end-of-year negotiation.
Well, boo-hoo. So Congress gets to sit around in its own filth on a short schedule rather than its preferred long one. Yeah, cry me a river.
Despite the rote grandstanding, there was no chance at all that Congress wouldn’t extend the debt ceiling. None.
The whole debt-ceiling-there-solely-to-be-ignored charade is no way to run a national economy, and for the long-term survival of the dollar it’s imperative that this wretched overspending habit be reined in … but that’s not going to happen in the next few weeks or months. But the bills come due long before that. Ergo, the ceiling is going to be raised … end of story.
There is also no chance that Texas and now Florida are going to be left in the lurch. Assisting parts of the country which have suffered unusual damage due to transient disasters is one of the few functions of the federal government which are unquestionably legitimate. So the feds are making resources available … and properly so.
The only question is just how larded up with irrelevant pork the assistance is. And if it’s left up to Congress to screw around with it for a few weeks, we can be pretty sure that it will be buried under so much expensive pork that it won’t even be recognizable as an aid bill. So speed is of the essence. And if the way to get speed is to keep the deadhead Republicans as far from the negotiations as possible, well then, so be it.
Unless there’s a hidden hand grenade somewhere which nobody’s yet talking about, this bill is not a loser for Trump. And if the Republicans are a bit miffed, that’s not a loser either.
My prediction: a continuing resolution (which really screws up our military budget) is passed on 30 Sept because the GOP can’t get their heads out of their butts and do their jobs. The CR is set to expire the same time this 3 month debt ceiling thing expires. Then once again we get a giant Cromnibus bill that funds Obamacare, PP, and raises debt ceiling again. Tax reform and funding for the wall will be nowhere to be found.