The United States Capitol. (Photo: Architect of the Capitol)
Sept. 30, 2023 by David Silverberg
Mere hours before deadline, at 2:42 pm this afternoon, the US House of Representatives approved a bill that funds the government for the next 45 days and averts a government shutdown.
The vote on the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act (House Resolution (HR) 5860 was a lopsided 335 to 91 with 7 members not voting.
Among the Southwest Florida delegation, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-19-Fla.) did not vote.
Rep. Greg Steube (R-17-Fla.) voted against the bill.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-26-Fla.) voted for the bill.
“Today, voting closed before I could cast my NO vote,” stated Donalds on X, formerly Twitter. “I DO NOT support today's flawed CR [Continuing Resolution], which continues Pelosi’s reckless spending, fails to secure our border & pushes us closer to the fiscal brink. Instead, I offered a conservative alternative, which would've slashed agency spending by 29% and secured OUR border.”
Even Steube was scornful of Donalds’ absence.
“Should’ve just pulled a fire alarm and bought some time,” Steube stated on X, referring to Rep. Jamal Bowman (D-16-NY) who pulled a fire alarm in a House office building, triggering an evacuation. (Bowman said he accidentally pulled the alarm as he was rushing to vote. The incident is being investigated.)
Diaz-Balart did not issue a statement on his “yea” vote.
Cindy Banyai, Donalds’ past Democratic opponent, was also scornful of his absence.
“Byron Donalds did not vote on the Continuing Resolution to keep the government open. He was never serious about making the government work for you. He only wanted to make massive cuts to appease his donors,” she stated on X.
The bill passed with 209 Democratic and 126 Republican votes. 90 Republicans and a single Democrat opposed it. Seven members did not vote, including Donalds.
Following the vote, the bill was sent to the Senate for passage.
Liberty lives in light
© 2023 by David Silverberg