Freedom Caucus leader warns: Don't attach Harvey aid to debt-ceiling increase
Source: The Washington Post
By Mike DeBonis and Damian Paletta August 31 at 10:23 PM
The leader of an influential group of House conservatives warned GOP leaders Thursday not to attach aid for victims of Hurricane Harvey to an increase in the federal debt limit, a stance that could constrain Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) as he tries to win support over the coming weeks for several controversial must-pass measures.
The warning from Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, came as White House and congressional leaders discussed a plan to immediately pump about $6 billion into federal disaster relief efforts. President Trump could send a specific request for the funding as soon as Friday, people briefed on the discussions said.
A debt-ceiling increase could be attached to the bill, those people said, to win broader support for that divisive measure ahead of a Sept. 29 deadline. But Meadows, who leads a group of hard-liners that has frequently frustrated House Republican leaders, said attaching Harvey aid to a debt-ceiling increase would be a terrible idea that would be conflating two very different issues.
The Harvey relief would pass on its own, and to use that as a vehicle to get people to vote for a debt ceiling is not appropriate, he said in an interview. That sends all the wrong message: Lets go ahead and increase the debt ceiling, and by the way, while were doing it lets go ahead and spend another $15, $20 billion? Thats not to undercut the importance of Harvey relief. Were going to fund Harvey relief without a doubt, but I think it just sends the wrong message when you start attaching it to the debt ceiling.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/freedom-caucus-leader-warns-dont-attach-harvey-aid-to-debt-ceiling-increase/2017/08/31/6b53ebc6-8e58-11e7-91d5-ab4e4bb76a3a_story.html
no_hypocrisy
(46,088 posts)If this group opposes raising the Debt Limit for Harvey Recovery, then the same group can't support tax cuts at this time as it would slash revenue to pay for those victims.
sandensea
(21,627 posts)all is well as far as they're concerned.
Kolesar
(31,182 posts)Texas is gop. They could lose more elections to Dems or become a state in "contention" like Colorado if they piss on Texas.
Corgigal
(9,291 posts)Yo might want to take a second and look at the weather channel. Two more disturbances are brewing in the Atlantic right now. You serve the state of North Carolina. Your buddy, Paul Ryan is land locked, so no skin off his nose.