Rep. Hank Johnson's statement on his vote for passage of the Budget Control Act of 2011:

“For responsible stateswomen and statesmen, default is not an option, but we missed an opportunity to strike a grand bargain.

Now that the Tea Party Republicans have taken their ransom from the American people – and left millionaires, billionaires and Big Oil unscathed – we must focus on creating jobs.

President Obama turned a bad deal into one I could reluctantly support. Initial cuts spare Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security beneficiaries, and a second round allows a balanced approach, including closing special interest tax loopholes. With another vote on the debt ceiling postponed until after the 2012 elections, we have prevented another Republicans default debacle.

Let history show that the ideologues who held America hostage abandoned their responsibility to govern and dealt in the lowest politics while President Obama rose to the challenge under the most difficult circumstances.”

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