Watch Live: Congressional Hearing on IRS Scandal

Live Now on TheBlaze Radio: ‘The Buck Sexton Show’

Business

House Votes ‘Yes’ on Senate ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Bill

Jan. 1, 2013 8:42pm

[Editor's note: The bill passed the House by a vote of 257-167. Scroll down to see updates to this story.]

Republican Controlled House Votes to Pass Amendment Less Version of the Senates Fiscal Cliff Deal

Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, center, and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., right, arrive for the House Republican Conference meeting on the fiscal cliff legislation in the Capitol, Jan. 1, 2013. (Bill Clark/Roll Call/Getty Images)

The Republican-controlled House is preparing a vote tonight on the “Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act of 2012,” the “fiscal cliff” bill passed last night at 1:58 a.m. ET by the U.S. Senate.

Preparation for the House’s passage of the “fiscal cliff” deal struck by the Senate has been marked by confusion and anger from conservative leaders.

“I do not support the bill. We are looking, though, for the best path forward,” House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said after a meeting with the party’s rank-and-file.

Some believe his decision to speak out against the bill while Speaker Boehner (R-Ohio) has remained relatively silent may signal that Rep. Cantor has his eyes on the speakership.

A handful of GOP House members fought to amend the Senate bill so that it would include more cuts. However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) vowed that he would “absolutely not take up the bill” if it involved amendments to the Senate’s original “cliff” deal.

“We’ve gone as far as we can go,” said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), “I think people are ready to bring this to a conclusion, and know we have a whole year ahead of us” to continue the fight over spending.

The Senate’s bill puts off the automatic spending cuts (i.e. the “sequester”) for two months. It also calls for about $600+ billion in new tax hikes while cutting only a fraction of that amount in government spending. In fact, for every $41 that is raised in taxes, only $1 will be cut.

Also, according to the Congressional Budget Office, the Senate’s “fiscal cliff” bill will ​add ​$4 trillion over a decade to federal deficits.

And in case you were wondering about whether a spending bill originated in the Senate (as opposed to lower chamber), here’s an explanation:

“I personally hate it,” said Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.). “The speaker the day after the election said we would give on taxes and we have. But we wanted spending cuts. This bill has spending increases. Are you kidding me? So we get tax increases and spending increases? Come on.”

Unsurprisingly, House Democrats are all for the vote.

“That is what we expect. That is what the American people deserve,” said Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

UPDATE – Folks, we may be in for a late one:

Also, unlike last night’s Senate vote, the House is moving at lightning speed to get this deal through:

Voting has begun:

UPDATE II: First hurdle cleared:

The House will now take an hour to debate the Senate-backed “cliff” deal. After that, the House will vote for its final passage.

A little food for thought while we wait. First, from Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.): “We owe Nancy Pelosi a real debt of gratitude for being where we are today.”

Second, from Sen. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas):

The vote is scheduled for 11:00 p.m. ET.

UPDATE III ​(10:00 p.m. ET) — While we wait on the House to debate the bill, here’s a dramatization of America going over the “fiscal cliff” (which is really more of a hill anyway):

UPDATE IV: With the blessing of the Speaker, the “fiscal cliff” deal has passed the House.

Breaking with Rep. Boehner, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) voted “no” on the measure. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), however, voted “yea.”

Here’s a complete list of the 85 Republicans who voted “yes” to the Senate backed measure:

House Votes ‘Yes’ on The Senate’s ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Bill

Shortly after passing the bill, President Obama held a press conference to thank Congress for its work and vowed going forward to avoid any more dramatic fights over the country’s financial woes.

“I will not have another debate with this Congress over the debt ceiling,” the president said.

The president will depart later this evening to resume his Hawaiian vacation:

Final Thought: Our “final thought” comes via senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University Veronique de Rugy:

Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter

All photos courtesy the AP. This article is being updated … a lot.

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

Comments (388)

1 … 7 8 9
  • Mr Sanders
    Posted on January 3, 2013 at 12:27pm

    To Note:
    All that voted aye are REPUBLICANS.

    They have to stop, read the bill [unlike the Senate], place the constitution next to them, have the House Rules before them, take some time, mull it over, look at the future effects, cut the P-O-R-K instead of chewing the fat [$12B for Windfarm credits??] THEN vote.

    We have a Republican Party that is operating on fear, not facts, and doesn’t want to look bad?!

    The House holds the purse-strings?! If there are disagreements on legislation you are to set up a conference committee between both houses to make agreement on the legislation before you – what gives?!

    You, The Federal Government of the United States of America, already past the deadline. The Sun came up over the Eastern horizon, the birds, flowers and trees still resided as they were the day previous. People, still in there beds, were sleeping thinking about what they forgot to do the day’s prior at work- and time still moves forward.

    I agree with Mr Becket. This “pass a bill but don’t read it” [or cowarding under the table in the chamber whilst voting yea when you have no knowledge, moral character, or mettle to think for the country as a whole] is becoming a bad habbit- and a disgusting one at that!!!

    I know you want to be with your families at Christmas, who doesn’t, but think of the troops out in the field of battle right now – no rest and can’t travel as they please. We, all of US, are in battle to assure a future for our nation.

    What are

    Report this comment

    Mr Sanders  
  • ReddFrogg
    Posted on January 2, 2013 at 7:53pm

    My Rep did not vote for it. I would vote for him again. However, it is plain to see that the other Republicans have sold us out. Time to consider a new party and let the Republicans go the way of the Whigs. The Republicans have crossed that line over to the Left! Now I know how Ronald Reagan felt when he said that he didn’t leave his party [the Democrats], his party left him.

    Report this comment

    ReddFrogg  
  • GIfrigginJOE
    Posted on January 2, 2013 at 7:53pm

    Well THANK GOD(yes obama i said god, the koran is fake and mohammed has long been dead) there were no votes from Mississippi politicians in there. If so, there wouldnt have been any need for them to run for office in the next election!!

    Report this comment

    GIfrigginJOE  
  • mbazan1
    Posted on January 2, 2013 at 4:21pm

    Fire Bohener!!!! He can not stand on his principles. Or maybe his principles are whatever gets him the speakership. Time to drop this guy and get someone else. Even Cantor stood for a NO vote. They should had never let a vote in this TAX bill!!!! After Bohener allowed a vote, it was all over. Get someone there that is a conservative so we can move the conversation away from REVENUE into SPENDING

    Report this comment

    mbazan1  
  • TRILO
    Posted on January 2, 2013 at 3:36pm

    You have to just love it. Shakespeare could not have written a better tragedy. The Senate gets the bill 3 minutes before voting for it without knowing one thing that is in it. Hours later it is found out that the bill is full of pork and will actually COST the American taxpayers MORE than the so called revenue that it generates; $330 Billion to be exact.

    Then the useless House gets the bill, knows it spends more than the revenue, adds more to our deficit and 85 republicans actually cave to the tax AND SPENDING INCREASES! Then the Dictator in Chief leaves town without signing the damn bill. These people are worse than the Keystone Cops.

    I was not surprised to see that my previous congressman, Blaine Leuktemeyer (R) from MO voted AYE. He is one of those good RNC soldiers who does what the establishment bosses order. Thankfully he was re-districted out of my area. Unfortunately his replacement Vicky Hartzler is another one who usually goes along with the establishment on issues like the NDAA, CISPA, etc. For once she voted against her party. Sad, but both these two representatives were just re-elected in November.

    I will give Boehner some credit in not bringing the Sandy Hurricane Relief bill to the floor for a vote. Is everyone brain dead today? The pork spending was more than the hurricane relief. The bill should ONLY cover hurricane relief, NOTHING ELSE. STOP the PORK and STOP the SPENDING!!!!!!!!

    Report this comment

    TRILO  
  • Canada_Goose
    Posted on January 2, 2013 at 2:05pm

    Why not also publish the list of GOP Senators who voted for the bill.
    It’s not like neanderthals like Mr. Sessions or Mr. Inhofe are any less conservative than Mr. Cantor or Mr. McCarthy.

    Anyhow here’s the list:

    Sessions
    Murkowski
    Kyl
    Boozman
    Chambliss
    Isakson
    Crapo
    Risch
    Coats
    Lugar
    Moran
    McConnell
    Roberts
    McCain
    Vitter
    Snowe
    Collins
    Cochran
    Wicker
    Blunt
    Johanns
    Heller
    Brown
    Coburn
    Hoeven
    Portman
    Burr
    Ayotte
    Inhofe
    Toomey
    Graham
    Corker
    Thune
    Alexander
    Hatch
    Johnson
    Cornyn
    Hutchison
    Barrasso
    Enzi

    Report this comment

    Canada_Goose  
  • Daddy Hawg
    Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:41pm

    “the one’s” final word after winning the fiscal cliff battle was about the annual discussion of raising the debt ceiling. What ever revenue he cannot get through raising taxes will be borrowed. Fiscal cliff h3ll, we fell over the edge a long time ago.

    Report this comment

    Daddy Hawg  
  • Steel
    Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:03pm

    So the buffoons have increased taxes, significantly INCREASED the national debt and, once again, played “kicked the can” with the absolute KEYSTONE to solving our economic problems – REDUCING THE NATIONAL DEBT! What part of “NO ADDITIONAL DEBT” don’t these congressional ignoramuses understand?

    Report this comment

    Steel  
  • Randyrocker
    Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:01pm

    The United States of America was created to avoid the heavy hand of taxation in England.
    Today the United States is one of the the most massively taxed people in the world, only today, you can’t get on board a ship to discover a new tax free world. Those days are gone and so too the mindset of the people running and ruining the United States of America.
    The only recourse is civil disturbance and retaliation against the powers to be. The tax man cometh, soon the tax man will arrive but never be able to return, so don’t become a tax man as it could be a self inflicted death sentence. The real domestic enemies are the ones in today’s government, in all branches. Remember you can’t get blood out of a stone.

    Report this comment

    Randyrocker  
1 … 7 8 9

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love