This was a vote on a resolution setting a time limit for debate and determining which amendments could be offered to legislation funding the federal government (such bills are known as “continuing resolutions, or “CRs”) through September 2011, and cutting $61 billion in federal funding for many government programs. For example, the bill cut funding from environmental protection programs, food stamps—which provide nutritional assistance to the poor—as well as community health centers, scientific research, Pell Grants for low–income college students, the National Institutes of Health, federal aid for state law enforcement programs, and funding for state job training programs.

Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA) urged support for the resolution and the underlying bill: “…We have a $1.65 trillion deficit….This is not fiscal restraint. This is not sanity. I have four grandchildren, and the reason I am here is to make sure that they have a future. We cannot continue this outrageous spending that is going on in Washington. And when you look at this bill that we are talking about…less than 1/16th of the annual deficit. It is scratching the surface….this is the first step to bring some fiscal sanity back to Washington, D.C., to actually understand what the ramifications are long-term in spending.”

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) urged opposition to the resolution and the underlying bill: “Democrats very much want to eliminate wasteful spending. We are committed to making the tough choices to get this budget more balanced, to get our deficit reduced, and start paying down the debt. That's not the issue. The issue is where do you make those cuts. My friends on the other side of the aisle talked about shared sacrifice. Well, the only people that seem to be sacrificing under their approach are middle-income families and the poorest of the poor in our country.”

The House agreed to this resolution by a vote of 242-174. Voting “yea” were 234 Republicans and 8 Democrats. 174 Democrats voted “nay.” As a result, the House proceeded to formal floor debate on legislation funding the federal government through September 2011, and cutting $61 billion in federal funding for government programs.