Senate kills House debt bill; Rep. Palazzo helps Boehner in House
Fourth District Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) of Biloxi — who worked as an assistant majority whip in the House, rounding up votes for the House bill that passed and was sponsored by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) — said, following passage of the bill, “I support speaker Boehner because I refuse to cast votes that will appease the President’s commitment to reckless spending policies. The American people clearly saw and know that the President has failed to lead during this debt crisis. While House Republicans have produced legislation and plans, the President has not once offered a solution.”
On Friday, Palazzo voted for the House bill, which passed by a close vote of 218 to 210. Even though the bill was redrafted by Boehner to appease GOP House conservatives, 22 conservative House Republicans voted against Boehner’s bill.
The bill garnered enough support from conservatives to pass when Boehner rewrote it to prevent an increase of the $14.3 trillion debt limit unless both houses of Congress okay a Constitutional amendment mandating a balanced budget.
With that addition a handful of GOP conservative holdouts changed their mind and the bill was passed.
Said Palazzo, “The Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) was a game-changer. South Mississippians want it and I want it. As Assistant Republican Whip, I was glad to work alongside leadership to ensure a BBA was inserted in the bill. This bill guarantees that a BBA will be sent to the states for ratification and will fundamentally change the spending culture of Washington forever.”
Added Palazzo, “Spending cuts of this magnitude were unimaginable before an electorate hungry for spending cuts swept in the House Republican freshman class that changed the debate from how much the White House can spend to how much Congress can cut.”
Picayune Item
7/30/11
Magnolia Tribune
