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House Erupts In Chaos Over Debt Ceiling Vote

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OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.


The House of Representatives got rowdy before its members went on recess as Rep. Steve Scalise explained that Republicans passed a bill to increase the debt ceiling and the Senate has not taken it up.

The bill was passed by the Republican members of the House two weeks ago but it contained severe cuts to President Joe Biden’s budget.

When Rep. Scalise began to talk a ruckus broke out among the Democrats causing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who was acting as president of the House on Wednesday, to continuously admonish them.

“As we all know, the house has already voted to address that the house ceiling, the debt ceiling. In fact if …” he said before Democrats began acting ridiculously.

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“The House is not in order,” he said before Rep. Greene attempted to calm the rowdy crowd.

“On April 26, this House passed the Limit, Save, And Grow Act. Well, should I say — should I say some of this House, but a majority of this house passed a bill to address, not only the debt ceiling but also
this spending problem in Washington that has brought us to this,” he said.

“For more than four weeks the Senate has not even taken up action on that bill. In fact, the Senate’s not even in session today or this week. With that said, madam speaker, the House is scheduled to take its last votes…” he said as, again, Rep. Greene had to call for order.

“Following tomorrow’s votes, if some agreement is reached between President Biden and Speaker McCarthy, members will receive 24 hours notice in the event we need to return to Washington for any additional votes, either over the weekend or next week. Additionally, we will allow all members to have 72 hours to review any such legislative text that may come before us relating to the debt ceiling before final passage of that bill,” he said.

That was when Democrat Minority Whip, Rep. Katherine Clarke, attempted to convince some Republicans to join the Democrats’ petition to pass a clean debt ceiling increase.

“To my colleague, I don’t know how my colleagues across the aisle who voted for the default on America act is going to look our veterans in the eye this Memorial Day. You have presented our country with an impossible choice, devastating cuts or devastating default. Hungry families or homeless seniors. Kids without classrooms or parents without jobs. Empty V.A. clinics or — empty V.A. clinics or empty savings accounts. And now you’re sending us home with no resolution. That’s the plan, to default, to run out the clock,” she said.

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“Well, I have some good news for you. 213, every single member of the Democratic caucus has signed the discharge petition. So before you go home — before you go home, it only takes five patriots, five patriots to join us in the fight for the American people. Join us. Sign the petition. Stay here and fight for American families, fight for the American security,” she said before Democrats again had to be reminded to act with decorum prior to Rep. Scalise speaking again.

“Maybe my colleagues on the other side are having buyer’s remorse or should I say voter’s remorse that every single one of them voted against addressing the debt ceiling over a month ago when we brought that bill to the floor. Now, madam speaker, there is a remedy. If anyone in this chamber, including my friends on the other side, would like to see this problem addressed, they should go over to the Senate side — frankly, there’s no one there. They should get on the phone and call the Democrat senators who run the Senate and chose to be out this whole week because they took this so seriously or call the White House and ask the president why he took 97 days off after the first meeting with Speaker McCarthy when the Speaker was ready to negotiate,” he said.

“We’re still here. We have done our job. We have acted. We are in fact the only body in this town who has actually taken steps to address the debt ceiling and the spending problem in Washington. I’d encourage the Senate to take up the bill. I’d encourage the president to get engaged and address this problem,” he said.

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