Do we want a government shutdown? No. But is it gratifying to see House Democrats unified and feisty? Sure is!
The defeat hands leverage to congressional Democrats in a dispute over federal disaster funding. Democratic leaders objected to a GOP provision cutting funding from a Department of Energy manufacturing loan program to offset additional money for disaster relief.
The House and Senate must pass a spending bill by Sept. 30 to keep the government running into the next fiscal year. Both chambers are scheduled to be out on recess next week.
The defeat was a stinging loss for Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), who pitched the measure to his conference as the lowest spending number they could get.
This may change the dynamic within the house. Yes, quite a few Republicans joined the Dems in rejecting the bill that would keep the government in business while impoverishing an important environmental program. However, the persistent Republican effort, since 2010, to poison every bit of nourishment for America's job-creating programs has now been held in check by an energized House minority.
“This vote sent a clear message to Republicans: the American people want a bipartisan approach to running our government,” said the No. 2 House Democrat, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). “We should immediately pass disaster relief that meets the needs of our people and protect — not cut — programs proven to create jobs while we reduce the deficit. If Republican leaders bring a bill to the floor that honors the bipartisan agreement from August, they will find it has bipartisan support for passage.” ...The Hill
