Debt ceiling vote squeaks through without Bachmann or Cravaack’s vote

WASHINGTON - House Speaker John Boehner's plan to cut deficits and raise the nation's debt limit barely made it through the House with 22 members of his Republican caucus - including Minnesota's Michele Bachmann and Chip Cravaack - voting against the final measure. It passed 218-210 with no Democrats crossing the aisle.

Minnesota's other two Republican House members, Erik Paulsen and John Kline, supported the measure, which would raise the debt limit in two steps and make deep spending cuts.

"I was a reluctant 'yes' on this," said Paulsen immediately after the vote. "I'm glad it increased additional cuts in spending. I like the concept of the balanced budget, I think it's fundamentally going to be one of the key reforms that changes the practice of what happens in Washington."

Negotiations over the debt ceiling are expected to continue through the weekend.

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