Every Republican and Democrat who represents Pennsylvania in the U.S. House or Senate this week voted in favor of a deal to avert the so-called ‘fiscal cliff.’
The package allows Bush-era tax cuts to expire for individuals making more than $400,000 and families making more than $450,000.
The bill passed the Senate 89 votes to 8 on Monday and the House 267 to 157 late Tuesday. President Barack Obama signed the bill shortly after the vote.
Most of the objectors, particularly in the House, were Republicans. 151 Republicans voted against the bill and 85 voted for it – including Reps. Barletta, Dent, Fitzpatrick, Gerlach, Kelly, Marino, Meehan, Murphy, Pitts, Platts, Shuster and Thompson.
Two members who would have surprised few observers by opposing the deal were Sen. Pat Toomey and Rep. Mike Kelly, both vocal conservatives. They acknowledged that, given Obama’s recent re-election and continued Democratic control of the Senate, the deal was the best Republicans could get. Obama and Democrats flatly refused to consider any bill that extended the tax cuts for wealthy Americans.
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