On Fiscal Cliff Vote, House GOP Leaders Split

The bill to avoid the fiscal cliff ended up clearing the House with more than enough Republican votes, but the vote split GOP leaders. Speaker John Boehner cast his "yes" as soon as voting began, but House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, and Chief Deputy Whip Pete Roskam saved their "no" votes until the measure already had enough votes to pass, the Hill reports. Some 151 Republicans voted against the deal, while 85 voted in favor.

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan surprised his colleagues by voting aye. In a statement, he said his concerns over the consequences of inaction outweighed his opposition to parts of the bill. "The American people chose divided government. As elected officials, we have a duty to apply our principles to the realities of governing," he said. "But the question remains: Will the American people be better off if this law passes relative to the alternative? In the final analysis, the answer is undoubtedly yes. I came to Congress to make tough decisions—not to run away from them." (More House Republicans stories.)