–House Majority Whip Confirms No House Vote Until Friday At Soonest
–House Republicans Are Still Scrambling For 216 Votes
–House Minority Whip Hoyer: ‘Very Nervous’ Markets To Plunge
–Rep. Hoyer: ‘Every Democrat’ Poised To Vote Against Boehner Plan
–Rep. Reid: But Most House Dems Would Vote For ‘Bipartisan’ Debt Bill

By John Shaw

WASHINGTON (MNI) – House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy said Thursday
night the House will not hold a vote this evening on the Republican debt
ceiling package, pushing back until at least Friday a critical House
vote that was first planned for Wednesday.

McCarthy made his comment tersely as he raced down a hallway near
House Speaker John Boehner’s office.

The decision by Boehner to delay the House vote yet again was
driven by a vote count that shows that he does not have 216 Republicans
votes to the pass a bill in the House.

There are 240 Republicans in the House and Boehner can only afford
to lose 23 votes. All Democrats are expected to vote against the bill.

At a Thursday afternoon briefing, Boehner appeared confident that
his bill would pass Thursday night, but he avoided answering a direct
question about the number of votes he had lined up for his bill.

Boehner directed the question to McCarthy, the third ranking House
Republican, who is responsible for counting the votes on key
legislation. McCarthy said he was confident that the GOP would have
enough votes to pass the measure when it came to a vote.

But at about 6 p.m. Thursday EDT, House Republican leaders withdrew
their bill from the House floor.

A number of conservative Republicans don’t believe the Boehner
bill is sufficiently tough on cutting spending and placing too
restrictions on raising the debt ceiling.

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer said Thursday night that he’s “very
nervous” that financial markets around the world will plunge in the
coming hours if the House’s impasse on the debt ceiling continues.

In comments on MSNBC, Hoyer said House Republicans appear deeply
divided over the Boehner’s revised debt limit plan.

Hoyer said that Boehner has painted himself in a corner by writing
a very partisan debt limit bill which “every Democrat is going to
oppose.”

He said a large number of House Democrats would be “very, very
inclined” to vote for a “reasonable, bipartisan” debt ceiling bill.

Boehner’s plan would raise the debt ceiling by $900 billion this
year and $1.6 trillion next year. Passing the initial $900 billion debt
ceiling increase would require Congress to pass more than $900 billion
in spending cuts through imposing caps on discretionary spending.
Approval of the second tranche of $1.6 trillion would require passage of
$1.8 trillion in spending cuts in entitlement programs.

Under Boehner’s plan, the House and Senate would also have to vote
on a balanced budget constitutional amendment between this October and
the end of the year.

Boehner is now in his office meeting with his leadership team.
Dozens of reporters are gathered outside his office.

The U.S. has already reached its $14.29 trillion debt ceiling.
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has said that Congress must pass
legislation increasing the debt ceiling by August 2.

** Market News International Washington Bureau: (202) 371-2121 **

[TOPICS: M$U$$$,MFU$$$,MCU$$$,M$$CR$,MT$$$$]