House Republicans Flex Their Muscles

The House voted Wednesday to freeze federal workers' pay until the end of 2013.

The 309-117 vote put Democrats on the defensive — 72 crossed the aisle to join the Republican majority — and gave the GOP political momentum for the first time since the fall.

The Democratic defections came in defiance of opposition from Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and President Obama, who has proposed a 0.5 percent federal raise for 2012.

The legislation came in a blitz of GOP fiscal bills designed to regain the upper hand Republicans lost when Obama and the Democrats handed them a heavy defeat last year on extending the payroll tax holiday.

It was one of several victories Wednesday on the House floor.

The House also easily approved another bill aimed at cutting welfare fraud by preventing recipients from accessing money in strip clubs, casinos and liquor stores. Only a few dozen Democrats opposed that bill.

Republicans passed a third bill, a resolution chopping most committee budgets by 6.4 percent or more for 2012. Democrats put up token resistance to that proposal, but it was approved quickly on a voice vote.

And finally, the House approved legislation to repeal a piece of the 2010 healthcare law setting up a voluntary long-term health insurance program that even the Obama administration found to be financially untenable. More than two dozen Democrats joined Republicans in that 267-159 vote.

The Republicans’ fierce fiscal attack marked the first full week back at work after more than a month, during which Obama made four controversial recess appointments that Republicans opposed.

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