Vote On Balanced-Budget Amendment Sees Some Democratic Support

The House will vote on a balanced-budget amendment Thursday afternoon in a move that has Democratic leadership conducting last-minute damage control stemmed from conservative Democrats’ vow to pass the measure. 

Following the endorsement by the 25-member Blue Dog Coalition, a group of conservative Democrats, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) has begun rallying against the bill, despite having voted in favor of a similar amendment in 1995. Hoyer has argued that his new position against the balanced budget amendment stems from his lack of trust in the Republican Party as a fiscally responsible entity. 

House Republicans have been quick to reinforce the support from conservative Democrats, urging both chambers of Congress to pass the measure. Some members of the GOP’s freshman class banded together Thursday to criticize Pelosi and Democratic efforts to reject the measure. 

“[Democratic leaders] are actively, actively lobbying for a ‘no’ vote. Why? One word; politics,” Rep. Tim Griffin (R-Ark.) said. “Leader Pelosi told them to do it, that’s why they’re doing it.”

Democrats like Rep. Peter DeFazio have provided Republicans with ammunition in this debate. In a letter to rank-and-file Democrats, DeFazio bucked his party’s leadership and urged his colleagues to support the amendment. 

“I believe our leadership is making a strategic mistake asking Democrats who support a balanced-budget amendment to make a partisan stand against it,” DeFazio’s letter reads. “If Democrats walk away from this sincere bipartisan effort, we will have let the American electorate down.”

A majority of Republicans are expected to vote in favor of the measure despite growing concerns that the amendment excludes a two-thirds requirement to hike taxes. Earlier in the week, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) told reporters that, if he had his way, he would rather the House consider a stronger amendment.

Even though a constitutional amendment does not require any presidential action, the White House has reinforced Democratic opposition to the measure with a statement of its own. 

If all House members vote, Republicans would have to rake in 290 votes - meaning 48 Democrats would have to break party ties - to pass the measure.