Owens votes against raising public debt limit

WASHINGTON — Rep. William L. Owens, D-Plattsburgh, voted Thursday against raising the limit on the public debt, bucking his party's leadership on a close and controversial vote.

Mr. Owens joined with moderate and conservative Democrats in opposing a procedural measure that raises the limit, which immediately gave Republicans more ammunition in their effort to cast the majority party as undisciplined spenders but prevents the government from defaulting. The Senate already has passed the bill, meaning it goes to President Obama for signature.

The resolution raises the federal debt ceiling to $14.3 trillion. It passed 217-212, with Democrats casting all of the "yes" votes and 37 votes in opposition. In addition, the House more easily passed a measure to require that spending increases be paid for with cuts elsewhere or tax increases, a rule known as "pay as you go," and Mr. Owens supported that.

Mr. Owens was one of the last lawmakers to vote on debt measure, when passage appeared narrow but likely.

"I think we have to start the process of exercising fiscal discipline, and this is a first step," Mr. Owens said after the vote.

While the vote was close, Mr. Owens said he had no discussions with the Democratic leadership other than on the initial inquiry about how he planned to vote.