Townhall.com, Where Your Opinion Counts
Talk Radio:   Bill Bennett   Mike Gallagher   Dennis Prager   Michael Medved   Hugh Hewitt   
TOP NEWS   LeftArrow - Townhall.com   RightArrow - Townhall.com  
Columns, funnies & more in your inbox!
Thursday, May 08, 2008
10 GOP Supported Mortgage Bailout in Committee
By Amanda Carpenter
Vote on It:
Average Vote:
[+] Text [-]
 
Poll
Are you struggling to keep up with rising gas prices?


10 House Republicans helped Democratic Financial Services Chairman Rep. Barney Frank (D.-Mass.) pass a $300 billion mortgage bailout bill out of his committee that is expected to pass the House this week.

The 10 Republicans joined Democrats to support a bailout titled the “American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act” were: Rep. Deborah Pryce (Ohio), Rep. Michael Castle (Del.), Rep. Jim Gerlach (Pa.), Rep. Peter King (N.Y), Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (W.V.), Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (Fla.), Rep. Dean Heller (Nev.), Rep. Chris Shays (Conn.), Rep. Steven LaTourette (Ohio.) and Rep. Gary Miller (Calif.). The final vote count out of the Financial Services Committee was 46-21.

President Bush issued a veto threat the bill Wednesday, saying it would “reward speculators and lenders.” The legislation would authorize the Federal Housing Administration to purchase $300 billion in bad loans from banks. Under the bill, the FHA would buy the loans for 85 percent of its value and resell the loan for 90 percent its value with 100 percent backing from the federal government. Taxpayers would be on the hook to pay the costs of absorbing those bad loans.

Banks and risky borrowers “are basically getting a guaranteed gift from the government,” said Rep. Tom Feeney (R.-Fla.) on the House floor while the bill was being debated Thursday. Feeney is a member of the 100-strong House Republican Study Committee which is adamantly opposing the bill.

The House passed a separate bill to give $15 billion in federal money to the states to purchase foreclosed properties Thursday morning. Sponsored by California Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters, “The Neighborhood Stabilization Act” passed 239-188.

11 Republicans voted with Democrats to pass it. They were: Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (Fla.), Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (Fla.), Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (Md.), Rep. Steven LaTourette (Ohio.), Rep. Jon Porter (Nev.), Rep. Deborah Pryce (Ohio), Rep. Jim Ramstad (Minn.), Rep. Illeana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.), Rep. Chris Shays (Conn.), Rep. Mike Turner (Ohio) and Rep. Jim Walsh (N.Y.)

Share:
Vote on It:
Average Vote:
 
About The Author
Amanda Carpenter is National Political Reporter for Townhall.com.
 
TOWNHALL DAILY: Be the first to read Amanda Carpernter's column. Sign up today and receive Townhall.com daily lineup delivered each morning to your inbox.
Subject: Dear President Bush

Please, please follow through on your threat of veto.

RINO'S INC.
...another reason Republicans are fading...
Sign Up to Post Your CommentsSign Up to Post Your Comments
If you are already registered, click here to login. Otherwise, please take a few seconds to register with Townhall.com. Once you sign up, you’ll be able to post your comments immediately, use the action center, get podcasts, and more!
Note: Fields marked with a red asterisk (*) are required.
Salutation:
First Name:
*
Last Name:
*
Email:
*
Nickname:
*
Note: Nick name will be shown when you post comments.
Address 1:
*
Address 2:
City:
*
State:
*
Zip:
*
Phone:
      
Your daily dose of conservative columns, editorial cartoons, talk radio, news, and more!
(Bi-Weekly) We highlight the best opportunities from our partners for surveys, action items and more.