Politics & Government
Rep. Harris Votes Against Debt Deal
The Republican held to a promise that he would not vote for a plan that excludes a balanced budget amendment.
Maryland 1st District Rep. Andy Harris voted against the historic debt deal passed by the House of Representatives on Monday.
In an , the Republican congressman said he would not support a plan that did not include a balanced budget .
“I’m not going to vote for a plan unless it clearly can maintain that triple-A bond rating," Harris said.
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The vote passed the House by a 269–141 vote.
The Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill Tuesday.
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“A balanced budget amendment is the only way to make sure the federal government spends what it takes in and lives within its means,” Harris said in an email statement. “Over the past few weeks I have repeatedly voted for reasonable proposals to raise the debt ceiling that included passage of a balanced budget amendment. But I didn’t come to Washington to continue writing blank checks. Maryland’s families and job creators sent me to Congress to permanently change the way Washington does business. I appreciate Speaker [John] Boehner’s remarkable, historic efforts to craft a proposal to solve the debt ceiling issue. But today’s debt ceiling deal just doesn’t go far enough to build an environment for job creation by requiring passage of a balanced budget amendment to bring permanent common sense accountability to Washington.”
