WASHINGTON, July 31— The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan debt ceiling bill by a vote of 269-161. The measure will cap spending, create a bipartisan congressional committee that will recommend future spending cuts, and require a vote on a balanced budget amendment in exchange for lifting the debt ceiling by at least $2.1 trillion.
Voting in favor of passage: 174 Republicans and 95 Democrats, whle 66 Republicans and 95 Democrats opposed the measure.
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., urged fellow Democrats to support the bill, while admitting that she could understand if they did not.
“I’m not happy with it, but I’m proud of some of the accomplishments contained in it and that is why I am voting for it,” Pelosi said on the House floor.
Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan acknowledged that both Republicans and Democrats contributed to the nation’s $14.3 deficit problem and reflected on the fact that this “fix” was a bipartisan effort, “and that’s a good thing,” he explained during a floor speech.
In an emotional moment during the vote, lawmakers of both parties cheered Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who returned for the first time since being shot in January to cast her vote in favor of the measure.
The U. S. Senate is expected to vote for final approval tomorrow.
House members plan to leave Washington for their August recess after casting their votes Monday night.
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