U.S. Reps. Sykes, Miller vote to extend debt limit
Republicans and Democrats voted to extend the nation's debt limit until after the next presidential election and end of the 118th Congress with passage of the two-year Responsible Spending Act Wednesday night 314-117.
The measure now moves to the U.S. Senate, where it is expected to be approved, before the nation defaults on its debts June 5.
The plan raises how much the government can borrow until 2025 and freezes annual discretionary, non-defense spending for two years while delivering $2.1 trillion in domestic spending cuts.
More: GOP hardliners are furious, Democrats play coy: What to know ahead of the House debt ceiling vote
Some conservative and and many liberal lawmakers objected to varying provisions in the plan, which even members who supported the bill said was imperfect.
Sykes, Miller supported Responsible Spending Act
All five northeast Ohio representatives, including Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, and Rep. Max Miller, R-Rocky River, voted in favor of the bill's passage.
They were joined by Shontel Brown, D-Warrensville Heights, Bill Johnson, R-Marietta and Dave Joyce, R-Bainbridge.
“From the very beginning, I resolved to never vote for cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security. Despite the House Majority’s efforts to strip away this essential funding, Democrats fought back to ensure these crucial government programs – which hardworking families in Ohio’s 13th Congressional district rely on – remained intact,” Sykes said in a statement after the vote.
“The Bipartisan Budget Agreement is not perfect, but thanks to Democratic leadership through the negotiations process, we arrived at a bipartisan agreement that funds our government while protecting critical programs for working people and growing the economy for everyone. While the House Majority’s manufactured default crisis created an impossible choice between devastating cuts or a devastating default on our debt, this agreement prevents what could have been a catastrophic recession, upending retirement accounts, and the loss of millions of jobs. I voted yes for this crucial bipartisan solution because I will never allow partisan politics to threaten the livelihoods of people and families in Ohio’s 13th District.”
In a release issued before the vote, Miller joined other Republican supporters, calling the measure "the largest deficit reduction bill in our nation's history."
"This is a positive, consequential step to take control of the government’s reckless spending," he said, adding the alternative is not an option.
"Defaulting on our debt would be catastrophic, and the potential pain for Americans across the board is frightening. This underscores the need for action," he continued. "Make no mistake − there is still plenty of work to be done. However, even with Democrat control of the White House and Senate, the GOP-led House got significant concessions out of President Biden after he said for months that he would not negotiate.
"This deal will save the American people at least $1.5 trillion, and as much as $2.1 trillion − the largest deficit reduction bill in our country’s history. It will streamline the permitting process for infrastructure and energy projects. It will strengthen work requirements for able-bodied adults on welfare programs. It will require student loan borrowers to be responsible for paying off their loans once again. And it will eliminate funding for President Biden’s IRS army in this fiscal year."
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Debt ceiling extension gets bipartisan support of Reps. Sykes, Miller
