House Passes Debt Ceiling Bill

And the vote was not very close.

Passage came after weeks of brinksmanship and backroom dealing that left few satisfied in the more liberal or conservative wings of the House, but drew just enough from each party to put a compromise over the top in time, assuming the Senate goes along, to avert what might have become a calamitous default on the nation’s debt. The tally, which had mounted excruciatingly slowly until the final seconds, was 269-161. Then, to growing applause, Representative Gabrielle Giffords, Democrat of Arizona, who was recovering from an attack several months ago, cast her vote, and as if a dam had burst the votes poured in.

A Senate vote on the bill has not yet been scheduled.