Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today voted against a “clean” debt limit increase proposal.  The bill, never expected to pass, was intended to show that the House will not agree to an increase in the debt limit without significant debt reduction proposals included.  President Obama proposed and 114 House Democrats signed a letter to their leadership asking for a “clean” increase of $2.4 trillion in the debt limit with no spending cuts or debt reduction plans attached. The House has rejected that notion 97 to 318.

“This vote sets a marker that the House will not pass a debt limit increase without substantial commitments that will show the American people that Congress is serious about reducing the national debt and bringing spending back under control,” Simpson said. “President Obama’s proposal, supported by many House Democrats, won’t pass.”

The current debt limit is expected to be reached on August 2, 2011.

“No one wants to be in this situation,” said Simpson, “but Congress, both Republicans and Democrats, needs to take this opportunity to take stock of past mistakes made by running up record budgets and making little effort to pay for them. The days of record deficits and soaring debts must end. Congress needs to meet this challenge and take another step toward lasting fiscal security for this country.”