WTOK-TV Meridian
Miss., Ala. senators split on rule change to raise debt ceiling
Fourteen Republicans, including Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, joined all 50 Democrats in the U.S. Senate Thursday to fast-track a bill to raise the nation’s debt limit.
By WTOK Staff
WASHINGTON (WTOK) - Fourteen Republicans, including Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, joined all 50 Democrats in the U.S. Senate Thursday to fast-track a bill to raise the nation’s debt limit.
The bill creates a one-time, expedited process for the Senate to pass a debt ceiling increase by a specific amount with a simple majority.
Mississippi Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Alabama Senators Richard Shelby and Tommy Tuberville opposed the bill.
“I vowed this summer not to help the Democrats raise the debt limit, and I’m holding fast to that commitment not to vote to increase the debt ceiling. The nation cannot be allowed to default on its obligations, but we should not raise the debt limit in a manner that enables President Biden and Democrats to spend trillions of dollars on reckless socialistic programs. It is unfortunate that necessary provisions to avoid cuts to Medicare and agriculture programs were linked to the debt limit. I am among a strong bipartisan core that supports ensuring seniors and farmers aren’t harmed, but helping them should not have been tied to a controversial debt limit question.” - Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith
“Today I voted against a procedure that would allow Democrats to raise the debt ceiling. If Democrats want to continue spending trillions of dollars to fund their liberal wish list, they should do so alone and not with the help of Republicans. I am disappointed that some of my GOP colleagues have assisted them in this process. We said before that we wouldn’t help Democrats increase the debt ceiling again, and we are only as good as our word.” - Sen. Richard Shelby.
Wicker voted in favor of the procedural change.
“Congressional Democrats have rammed through trillions in unnecessary spending over the past year, and next week they will have to finance their spending by raising the debt limit alone – without a single Republican vote. It is time for Democrats to go on record and own this reckless spending. Our nation cannot afford to suffer the irreparable damage of a default on our debt,” Wicker said in a statement to the media.
Other Republicans voting ‘yes’ on the rule change were Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, John Thune of South Dakota, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Susan Collins of Maine, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Joni Ernst of Iowa, John Cornyn of Texas, Mitt Romney of Utah and Rob Portman of Ohio.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said the debt limit needs to be raised by Dec. 15.