Johnson, Walsh Vote Against Boehner Debt Bill

Rep. Tim Johnson of Urbana was one of only 22 Republicans to vote against a debt-reduction measure backed by GOP leadership.

In a release late Friday after the House floor vote, Johnson said the deal calls for spending cuts years into the future, but there are no promises they'd actually be made.

"This plan offers no concrete plan to reform entitlements, and perhaps most importantly, continues to protect our bloated defense spending, including funding of an illegal incursion into Libya," Johnson said in the release.

The Republican has also frequently voiced his opposition to continued US military involvement in Afghanistan.

Despite Johnson's no vote, Republicans muscled legislation to extend the government's borrowing authority and cutting spending through the House over solid Democratic opposition.

The 218-210 vote sets up a confrontation with the Democratic-controlled Senate and President Barack Obama, who say the GOP-written measure will die in the Senate. They say the bill would wreak economic havoc because it would force lawmakers to vote on another extension of the debt ceiling early next year, in the heat of presidential and congressional campaigns.

Administration officials say Congress must find a compromise to raise the debt ceiling by Tuesday or the government will run out of cash to pay its bills. That could prompt an unprecedented federal default, which could rattle the economy with shocks such as higher interest rates.

Johnson joined fellow Illinois Republican Rep. Joe Walsh in opposition -- Walsh has been vocally opposed to raising the debt ceiling, at one point accusing President Obama of lying about the severity of the consequences of missing the August 2 deadline.

(with help from The Associated Press)