The House passed a debt ceiling bill on Friday 316-90, that would also give victims of Hurricane Harvey $15 billion in relief.
Republicans and Democrats for the legislation, however, more Democrats voted for the legislation compared to Republicans. Eighty-nine Republicans voted against the measure, while no Democrats voted against the debt ceiling and Hurricane relief bill.
The Senate passed its Hurricane Harvey and debt ceiling bill after President Donald Trump struck a surprise deal with congressional Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi meant as a slight to House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The Senate voted for the bill the legislation 80-17.
Speaker Ryan initially said that a three-month debt-ceiling package was “ridiculous and disgraceful.” Trump then decided to reach a deal with Democrats instead of Ryan and McConnell.
Treasury Secretary Mnuchin told Fox Business on Thursday, “We’re very happy we have a deal. The president’s priority was to make sure we have the funding for [Hurricane] Harvey and to make sure we raise the debt limit to pay for that.”
House Republican leaders, including Ryan and McConnell, tried to link a $2 trillion increase in the debt ceiling to Hurricane Harvey aid funding, all without any conservative reforms to long-term spending such as work requirements for Medicaid. Trump instead struck a compromise with Democrats to allow for more time for Congress to pass a tax reform bill.
President Trump is expected to sign the Hurricane Harvey and debt ceiling bill shortly.
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