Lauren Boebert Refuses to Explain Her Absence From Debt Ceiling Vote

Lauren Boebert has released a statement after she missed Wednesday's debt ceiling bill vote in the House, without directly addressing her absence despite having previously vowed to vote against the deal.

Axios Capital Hill reporter Juliegrace Brufke claimed Boebert had "narrowly missed the vote" after "running up the steps right as they gaveled."

The agreement, struck between President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy, raises the U.S. debt limit for the next couple of years, preventing the first default in U.S. history, which could have taken place in early June. On Thursday it was approved by the Senate, having passed the House the day before, and is expected to be signed into law by Biden imminently.

In the House, the deal passed by 314 votes to 117, with 71 Republicans among those who opposed it. Republican critics argued the deal failed to cut enough public spending, while Democratic opponents claimed it went too far, and were angered by additional work requirements placed on those on food assistance programs.

Lauren Boebert speaks on the debt limit deal outside the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2023. Despite publicly opposing the deal, Boebert didn't vote against it in the House. MANDEL NGAN/AFP/GETTY

Boebert's unexplained absence sparked criticism and mockery online including from Adam Frisch, who nearly beat the Republican in Colorado's third congressional district in November 2022. He tweeted: "How can you represent #CO03 when you don't even show up? What was more important than voting?"

After being contacted for comment Boebert's office sent Newsweek a statement from the congresswoman, reiterating her opposition to the bill but not explicitly addressing her non-vote on Wednesday.

She said: "The House passing this so-called 'deal' was another example of the Swamp shoving a $6-plus trillion blank check for Biden down Americans' throats.

"I testified before the House Rules Committee advocating for my seven amendments, but the Swamp refused to even have real debate on the 80 amendments filed, rammed this thing through with a closed rule, and completely bypassed everything we fought for in January as part of the Rules package changes that were implemented [to] allow Members a voice."

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Boebert went on to say the debt confrontation was a missed opportunity to "significantly cut federal spending," and insisted she didn't fail to vote out of fear.

She commented: "The Swamp did its old song and dance and pretended to listen to the American people, but as soon as the backroom deal was made, it was predetermined that it would pass.

"I certainly wasn't afraid to vote against the bill, as I have been advocating against it all week.

"I voted against the rule to consider the bill, I advocated against it publicly, and I will continue to call out the Swamp for selling out our conservative principles and mortgaging the American dream."

Under the deal, U.S. spending will remain "largely flat" in 2024, with exceptions for defense and veterans, and only increase by one percent in 2025. Some programs will be cut, such as a plan to hire thousands more Internal Revenue Service agents, while tighter work requirements will be introduced for those on food assistance programs.

Speaking to Newsweek Thomas Gift, associate professor and head of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, argued the deal was a "big win" for McCarthy.

He commented: "Kevin McCarthy deserves credit for what he's been able to achieve in the debt ceiling deal. It should disabuse critics of the notion that his weak grip on the speakership would render him completely ineffectual at herding his splintered conference, and ultimately, governing."