By David Lawder
WASHINGTON |
Sat Mar 23, 2013 7:50pm EDT
The budget plan (click here) passed 50-49 at about 5 a.m.
after a marathon voting session in the Democratic-controlled chamber.
Four Democratic senators facing tough re-election campaigns in 2014
joined all the Senate Republicans in opposing the measure, which seeks
to raise nearly $1 trillion in new tax revenues by closing some tax
breaks for the wealthy....
Senator Cruz objects to Budget Conference with House demanding a 60 vote threshold for raising the debt limit. Was the debt level addressed in the Senate bill? Then Patricia's amendment to the bill should accept Senator Cruz objection into the amendment to be addressed at Budget Conference. Basically, note his objection and move forward.
The Conference needs a simple majority which was accomplished in March, so there is no reason to not allow Cruz his complaint.
However, while Senator Murray's amendment will begin to heal the country from The Sequester, it is likely Senator Cruz will cause a working sequester with objection to the Debt Limit. I don't think we are close to the debt ceiling yet, right?
By Jim Puzzanghera
June 12, 2013, 9:08 a.m.
WASHINGTON -- As Congress (click here) readied for a new battle over raising the debt limit, Sen. Barbara Boxer announced legislation that would prevent lawmakers from being paid if they did not increase the nation's borrowing authority.
"It is an American value to pay your
bills. It's also an American value to do your job," Boxer (D-Calif.)
told reporters Wednesday. "If we as members of Congress refuse to pay
the bills we have incurred, we should not be paid our salaries."
Boxer announced the legislation along with the lead House sponsor, Rep. Jim McDermott
(D-Wash.). It is modeled on legislation enacted in January that denied
salaries to members of Congress if their chamber did not pass an annual
budget....
Oh, this is some of the impetus to Cruz's objection in raising the debt limit. His paycheck.
There was a provision in the House Budget that demanded the Senate to pass a budget. In recognizing that is the understanding there was going to be a conference. The Senate complied with the House request and now there needs to be a conference.
This conference will help solve the complaints of Senator Session and the sluggish GDP and it will pay bills. We have to pay bills. So, now that the conference is necessary and has been DELAYED for over three months, Senator Cruz objects to a vote on the Debt Limit because his paycheck is riding on it.
Pay Your Bills or Lose Your Pay Act of 2013 (click here)
This is a House Bill. H. R. 2335 (click here). I think Senator Boxer is attempting to make this a bipartisan effort.
You know Cruz has a point here, not a good one, but he does have a point. If there are requirements of a 60 vote majority on limiting the debt ceiling, there will be savings in no other place but Congressional paychecks when the 60 vote threshold is not reached. It may be that Senator Cruz is a real 'man of the people' in that he feels their pain when the debt limit is not passed with a 60 vote majority.
Senator Cruz is a McConnell wannabee, too. That is something to applaud in some circles.
What Senator Cruz does not appreciate is the fact all the budget fights have to occur at the time the Budget is passed and not at the time the Budget requires raising the debt limit. Senator Cruz is asking for redundancy in debate and that is not permitted. Debate on bills happens one time, in this case at the time of the Budget passage. To begin budget debate AGAIN in the form of a Debt Limit increase is redundancy and it will cause damage to the economy. Senator Cruz needs to stop grandstanding at the expense of the American people.
Senator Cruz as Senator McConnell has no appreciation for his colleagues and the possibility of such a threshold. Senator Cruz needs to stop his objections and realize how to place these issues in perspective rather than inflating their importance.
