Rebellious Republicans thumbed their noses at their leaders in the House of Representative Wednesday and defeated a GOP-sponsored bill that would have funded the federal government beyond Sept. 30.
The defeat — a clear embarrassment for GOP leaders — could create further jitters in a nervous economy.
The bill went down to a crushing defeat with 48 conservative Republicans joining with Democrats in a lopsided 230-195 vote.
Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) took the loss hard.
“This is a sausage factory,” Rogers told reporters after the vote.
Defeat of the bill could revive the crisis atmosphere that ruled Congress and Washington this past summer when a last-minute vote averted a government shutdown.
Democrats opposed the $1.043 trillion funding bill because of a $1.5 billion cut for funding of an electric vehicle program. Republicans insisted they needed the cut to pay for the increased cost of federal aid.
However, GOP leaders signaled Wednesday that they might be willing to restore the electric vehicle cuts in a deal for Democratic support but tea party Republicans say they will still oppose the measure.
“Everyone needs to relax,” House Republican Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) said after a meeting with other GOP leaders.
3 thoughts on “House Republicans embarrass their leaders with funding rejection”
I want an electric car!!! Why are they so expensive ?? Seriously, internal combustion? Really? That’s the best we can do? I mean it’s a little medieval. What I think the conservatives are really saying is that Americans are to dumb to do better.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_internal_combustion_engine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rfuvDr2wJQ&feature=player_embedded
‘Nuf said…
So Democrats want to spend $1.5 billion on cars that no one wants to buy, and the Republicans are willing to deal so they can fund their own pet projects.
Um…there’s probably a reason why car companies won’t fund the development of electric cars themselves. Because they know there won’t be a return on investment. It’s simply a bad business move.
Of course, not so if Joe Taxpayer foots the bill.
Is it any wonder we’re running huge deficits and no one can find a way to cut spending?
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