WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-run House has weighed in against raising the government’s borrowing limit by $500 billion, but the vote was really just a political show.
Legislation that President Barack Obama signed last month raised the debt limit by $400 billion immediately. A second increase, this time by $500 billion, was to take effect this month unless both the House and Senate voted to block it.
Last week senators defeated efforts to stop the $500 billion increase. So even though the House went on record Wednesday with a 232-186 vote against the second increase, the action had no real consequence.
GOP Rep. Tom Reed of New York says Republicans still wanted to make the point that they’re serious about the issue. Democrats said it was a waste of time.