Reid plans quick vote and defeat of Boehner debt plan

[jpak]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20085002-503544.html

House Speaker John Boehner's plan to raise the debt limit and reduce the deficit will be quickly defeated tonight, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said today.

The Republican-led House will vote on Boehner's plan in the late afternoon. It's unclear whether the speaker will have enough support in his caucus to pass the measure, which would increase the U.S. borrowing limit by up to $900 billion while cutting more than $900 billion in spending over the next decade.

With one Democrat out for health reasons today, Boehner needs 216 votes to pass his bill and can afford to lose 24 Democrats. In the early afternoon, CBS News tallied at least 17 Republicans who will vote against it and nine who are leaning against it. Fifty were undecided.

If the bill does pass, Reid said today he would take it to the Senate floor for a vote immediately -- where the Democratic majority will reject it.

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