By Sara Wyant
© Copyright Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.
WASHINGTON, May 31, 2011 – In an attempt to signal that the debt limit ceiling won’t be lifted without significant spending cuts, the House on Tuesday rejected a stand alone measure to raise the government’s debt limit from $14.3 trillion to $16.7 trillion.
The measure was defeated 318 to 97, with 82 Democrats joining all Republicans to oppose the measure.
House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, D-MD, criticized the Republicans effort to bring up a measure that they wanted to defeat, although several Democrats have previously called for a stand alone bill to increase the debt limit.
“This is not an honest debate; this is not an honest proposal,” Hoyer said.
The vote underscores the complex negotiations ahead for Congressional leaders and the Obama Administration in trying to raise the debt limit before the August 2 deadline. President Obama invited all House leaders to the White House on Wednesday to discuss a potential path forward.