John Boehner: Downgrade Of U.S. Credit Rating 'Beyond My Control'

WASHINGTON -- House Republicans are attempting to wash their hands of the debt limit on Thursday, claiming the Senate will be responsible for a default if it does not pass a House plan to raise the debt limit and cut $22 billion over the next year.

Whether that plan would lead to a downgrading of the U.S. credit rating was "beyond my control," House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said at a press conference.

"There's no reason for [the Senate] to say no," Boehner said of his debt plan. "This is as far of a step as we are able to take at this point in time that is doable and sign-able to become law."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid pronounced the Boehner plan, called the Budget Control Act, "dead on arrival" in the Senate, and all 53 Democrats have vowed to block it.

Although the bill would raise the debt ceiling, presumably before the Aug. 2 deadline, it could still trigger a downgrading of the U.S. credit rating by ratings agency Standard & Poor's, according to reports, because it would require the debt limit to be increased again in a matter of months.

But Boehner declined to answer questions over what the House would do next after the Senate tables the Budget Control Act, hinting that the plan may be its last offer.

"After today, the House will have sent to the Senate not one, but two bills that rein in spending," he said. "The Senate will have no more excuses for inaction."

Whether Boehner's bill will even pass the House remains in doubt. Although more Republicans are signaling they will support the bill, some still say it does too little to shrink the debt, particularly because it does not require passage of a balanced budget amendment. (It does require a vote on one, which will take place in the House on Friday.)

"We're moving in the right direction," House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told reporters of the vote tally. "This conference has moved a great deal in short amount of time."

If it passes in the House, the Senate plans to take it up immediately after, Reid announced on the floor on Thursday.

"It will be defeated," Reid said on the Senate floor. "They know that, the American people should now understand that clearly."

Watch Reid announcing that Boehner's plan will not pass the Senate:

Comments

[blaquemark]

04:11 PM on 09/02/2011

Got to love the speaker for saying....beyond his control. Hell,mr speaker you campaign by stating the republicans were better at creating jobs. Well where are the jobs?

A 2005 Golf Digest article said Boehner found time to play 100 or more rounds of golf per year, citing opponents. The article says Boehner belongs to the prestigious Burning Tree club outside of Washington, which costs $75,000 to join and $6,000 in annual dues. The club’s membership is said to have included more than 70 lobbyists over the last decade.

Lower taxes & lax epa rules won't stimulate the job market...

[c12646]

09:05 PM on 08/07/2011

Sorry John... You stated that "you got 98 percent of what you wanted" well you can't have it both ways you also get 98 percent of the blame for the downgrade. You were sent to Washington to work for the people. Passing bills in the House that you knew would not pass the Senate only showed you for a fool. You have one third of the government under your gravel but I certainly hope that will end in 2012. I for one will campaign for your termination. From day one you have not been able to control your side of the aisle. Unfortunately, America is the one paying the ultimate price for your stupidity.

[crabbyoldart]

12:16 AM on 08/03/2011

John...everything is beyond your control....so if you need some help - and clearly you do- hand your problems over the the Teapers who seem so able to guide you as their patsy...whatever you thought you knew about leadership and government - you don't. Whatever you thought you knew about economics - you don't. You are backed by an ignorant, biased coalition who have no proactive vision...quite frankly, when I think about it - none of you do...the whole sheebang - bleh - go home.

[memememeeeee]

05:09 PM on 07/29/2011

nice to know the GOP is working so hard at getting a bill that will not pass, completed.. just another way of wasting all our tax dollars in the process..

[MasterKat]

04:42 PM on 07/29/2011

"I'm just one of the most powerful politicians in the country, what could I possibly do to stop an artificial, government-made fiscal crisis?" If this goes down, it's a failure of government. This isn't the economic crisis over which the House had no direct control. Own it, you cowards.

[bluefire66]

02:46 PM on 07/29/2011

All one has to do is research Boehner's Bill to see that it's somewhere in the stratosphere. If he manages to get the votes to pass the House, it will never pass the Senate. The GOP is, and never will be, interested in bi-partisanship while Obama is in the WH and even if he were not there next election cycle, I doubt they would be into working across the aisle. I think the correct spelling should be "aisle" cause baby, it's wide.

[opolis]

02:44 PM on 07/29/2011

Boehner is experiencing pre rejeckultion syndrome

[mazzo]

02:37 PM on 07/29/2011

Boehner, you could submit a bill written in crayon and it would be better than what you've presented so far.

[connie o]

02:35 PM on 07/29/2011

Let me get this straight, the Republicans created this crisis by insisting on getting their way before they would be willing to raise the debt limit and now Boehner says it is out of his control. That's like setting the house on fire and then acting like it's not your fault if you can't put the fire out before it burns the house down. Looks like Obama will have to invoke the 14th to save the nation from the GOP.

[MasterKat]

04:47 PM on 07/29/2011

The beauty is that if Obama said last month "Screw you guys, I'm using the 14th Amendment" the rest of the country would have nailed him for abuse of executive powers (even if there is a legit legal argument for it). But now it's just like "Well, you have no other choice, you poor SOB." Same move, different outcome.

[memememeeeee]

05:29 PM on 07/29/2011

maybe that is his plan all along :o) I hope he does. I think he is playing the GOP VERY well, and they are eating it up. falling right into it. People are starting to see how they really are, and it's because the way Obama is handeling all of this. I bet it's his plan to do so. I really do. and I love it!

[connie o]

06:07 PM on 07/29/2011

Fanned for that one Masterkat! I think you hit the nail on the head!

[norepublicanleftbehind]

02:30 PM on 07/29/2011

Mr. "SO BE IT" backing off from his usual swagger? I'll blame him

[tarheel08]

02:11 PM on 07/29/2011

Boehner has the ability to exert control here. Unless I am missing something, he can pass a clean debt ceiling increase with Democratic support and 40 GOPers & shut down the government over a budget fight INSTEAD of a default. If he also tried to push a balanced budget amendment that was enacting TP doctrine as part of the Constitution [by allowing for revenue increases, & not capping spending as 18% of GDP], a majority of people in the House and Senate would support that. Doesn't the TP understand that social pressures generally will PREVENT tax increases, so that view does not need to be enshrined in the Constitution?

[connie o]

02:36 PM on 07/29/2011

They want to preserve their tax cuts even when the Democrats are in charge of the government.

[raviandsonia]

01:55 PM on 07/29/2011

The only thing Boehner is responsible for is the bs that comes out of his gluteus maximus and even that he will deny.

[WOODSTOCKER51]

03:34 PM on 07/30/2011

HE SUFFERS FROM T.B..{TEA BAGGER}

[bk1]

01:42 PM on 07/29/2011

What a pathetic rationalization of a self created crisis by a shell of a leader over a group of uncompromising idealogues this entire mess has deteriorated into at the expense of our great country. Republicans will do anything to try to prevent President Obama from being reelected and they strengthen his hand each day they try.

[memememeeeee]

05:31 PM on 07/29/2011

whats funny is half of them probably don't know half of the words you just used ;)

[JPwarwick]

01:36 PM on 07/29/2011

It seems everything is beyond boners control.

[manface]

01:30 PM on 07/29/2011

Have I found a trollfree thread? No avatars of hatriot flagsor solitary drips of water showing how their brain works?