Pennsylvania's Senators Split on Debt Ceiling Vote

In a 74-26 vote, the U.S. Senate has passed a bill that backers say will increase the debt-ceiling limit and cut spending. Pennsylvania's Senators split on the vote. Sen. Bob Casey voted for the bill. Sen. Pat Toomey voted against it.

The House of Representatives passed the bill 269-161.

President Barack Obama signed the bill Tuesday afternoon. 

Pennsylvania Freshman Republican S to the debt ceiling. Toomey voted against the compromise bill passed Tuesday in the Senate. Toomey’s Press Secretary Rebecca Neal told Patch that Toomey is expected to release a statement later Tuesday about the vote. 

But in a press release on Monday, Toomey stated he would not be voting for the bill.

“Our government is heading for a fiscal crisis. We have doubled spending since 2000. Our deficits are now more than $1.4 trillion per year, and our debt has reached a stunning $14.3 trillion,” Toomey stated. 

"Unfortunately, the debt ceiling deal announced last night does nothing to deal with the path of our government's unsustainable deficit spending. For fiscal year 2012, this legislation will only cut two-tenths of 1 percent of total spending. Not only will our debt grow each year under this plan, it will continue to grow even as a percentage of our economy. …”

Both members of Congress who represent the Tredyffrin-Easttown Patch coverage area voted for the bill Monday in the House of Representatives. Click here for details of . Click here for the story on