Replacing Jim Knowles Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Gundy talks short and long term
Abby Cage
Dame by committee. Cornerbacks coach Tim Duffie, defensive line coach Joe Bob Clements and safeties coach Dan Hammerschmidt will all be called on. “I took his responsibilities and said, ‘OK, Duffie you got this, Joe Sam Hutchens Bob you got this, Hammer you got Staff Reporter this’ to cover what Jim did in practice.” Tyler Lacy was lying down It is a group he has confidence when he found out. in. The Oklahoma State junior “Quite honestly, I don’t expect defensive end had come down with to skip a beat,” Gundy said.” the flu and could not be at the team Even if the beat of game day meeting that invigorated a group chat preparation doesn’t skip, it will sound of OSU football players. a little different. “It was a shock,” Lacy said. “I “It’s different for sure,” senior rolled over and looked at my phone. I corner Jarrick Bernard-Converse was like, ‘They talking about Coach said. “I mean, that’s expected but Knowles leaving? That’s not true. still the same structure, same game That’s not true.’” plan. Everything’s still in place. It’s That meeting, held about a just him not being there. So we’re just week ago, was the one that Jim going to keep going. Keep the same Knowles, OSU’s defensive coordina- routine.” tor, used to tell the team he would The defensive play caller for be the next defensive coordinator at the bowl game, a role Knowles was Ohio State. repeatedly complemented on by his “I wish the best for him,” Lacy players and fellow coaches at OSU, said. “He was a good defensive coor- has not been decided yet. dinator for us and I learned so much “I’ll make that decision probafrom him.” bly the day we get there,” Gundy said. Coach Mike Gundy’s first step “I’m watching everything take place after getting the news was to find out in practice. I’m watching everybody exactly what OSU was losing. He do their job.” could see what Knowles did every As for the long-term successor day in practice, but Gundy was not to Knowles, Gundy said hiring from around when his defensive coordina- within is a possibility, but he is more tor hunkered down in his office and focused on what someone brings to put together the scheme to stop opthe program, not which program they posing offenses. come from. “I got all the guys together and “There are guys here that I have did a little investigative work,” Gundy thoughts about, but my job is to find said. “Compared my notes on what I the very best person whether it’s here thought was the process we have used or somewhere else, to be in charge here with Jim.” of the defense and keep the tools we OSU will play in the Fiesta have in the toolbox and keep moving Bowl in a few weeks — it’s most forward,” Gundy said. high-profile bowl game appearance in a decade. Gundy will fill Knowles’ position for the game against Notre sports.ed@ocolly.com
OSU Police attain warrant for UT football player Anna Pope News Editor A warrant has been issued with a $2,500 bond for Ishmael Ibraheem, Texas football defensive back, for violating Oklahoma’s law against the nonconsensual spreading of private sexual images. The victim, an Oklahoma State student, contacted OSU’s Police Department on Sept. 1, according to the probable cause affidavit. The victim told Leslie Grotheer, an OSU police officer, she was sent a screenshot from Ibraheem of an Instagram direct message showing a TikTok video of them having consensual sex. The victim said she could not play the video, but from the screenshot she could identify herself. Although the victim was not aware she was being recorded, he later showed her the video. The victim said in the affidavit she was OK with him having recorded them, but told Ibraheem to not share it and was intended to be kept private. In the affidavit, the victim said Ibraheem told her the video was unsent in the message and the person who received the video never viewed it. Grotheer identified the receiver of the messages as an OSU student and football player, and reached out to him. When asked, the student pulled up the messages, including the video, showing they were sent from Ibraheem’s Instagram, according to the affidavit. In the affidavit the video had a TikTok logo on it, which is the same as Ibraheem’s Instagram username. The player said in the affidavit he knew the victim and Ibraheem as the victim’s ex-boyfriend. Ibraheem has been reportedly suspended from UT’s football prgram. sports.ed@ocolly.com
Abby Cage
Page 2 Wednesday, December 15, 2021
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3 things to watch OSU vs Southern
Ben Hutchens Digital Editor The Oklahoma State Cowgirls (3-4) take on the Southern Jaguars (2-6) Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in Stillwater. Here are three things to watch in the game. Backs against the wall The Cowgirls have lost their last three games; two by double digits. Another loss would mark its first four game losing streak since 2018-19. OSU is presented with an opportunity to create momentum with a four-game stretch before conference play begins. Winnable games, all at home, against Southern, UT Arlington, North Texas and Tulsa give the Cowgirls a chance to get their backs off the wall. A comfortable Macie James OSU freshman forward Macie James made her first college start last week against Auburn. She scored 10 points and added three steals in 31 minutes. Like most freshmen, James didn’t immediately transition from the high school game, where she averaged over 16 points a game, to the college ranks. Team shooting percentages It’s been a rough shooting start for the Cowgirls this season. OSU is making only 35% of its shots from the field, and only 22% from beyond the arc. Sophomore Lexy Keys and junior Lauren Fields are the only Cowgirls who have made more than three 3-pointers this season. Things don’t get better for the Cowgirls when the game stops. They are making just 54% of their free throws. The Cowgirls don’t need to suddenly turn into highly efficient scoring machines to win games. Small increases in shooting percentages would go a long way for the Cowgirls, who trail their opponents in field goal and 3-point shooting percentage by small margins.
Braden King
Editorial board
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Reporters/photographers
Editor-in-chief Chris Becker editorinchief@ocolly.com
Assistant sports editor Sam Hutchens sports.ed@ocolly.com
News editor Anna Pope news.ed@ocolly.com
Design editor Karisa Sheely design.ed@ocolly.com
Lifestyle editor Ellen Slater entertainment.ed@ocolly.com
Photo editor Abby Cage photo.ed@ocolly.com
Sports editor Dean Ruhl sports.ed@ocolly.com
Adviser John Helsley john.helsley@okstate.edu
Sports reporters: Adam Engel Sam Hutchens Sudeep Tumma Davis Cordova Calif Poncy Ashton Slaughter Daniel Allen Gabriel Trevino Jarron Davis Gavin Pendergraff Kaleb Tadpole
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Wednesday, December 15, 2021 Page 3
Rangel’s leadership and competitiveness carried him to OSU
via Twitter
Daniel Allen Staff Reporter
tremendous value to the team.” Heading into his sophomore season, his chances of being the starting quarterback seemed a bit far-stretched. Garrett Rangel has never been shy The quarterback room for Lone of competition. Star, at the time, was deep, which His coaches and teammates consisted of a returning someone who said competition has always captured was already above Rangel on the depth Garrett’s attention. He always seeks chart, and a transfer heading into his out competition. Not only that, but he senior season who had a multitude of always seems to benefit from it. Division I scholarship offers. “Garrett’s just built different,” Despite the increased level of Lone Star head coach Jeff Rayburn competition in the offseason, Rangel said. “That kid is a workaholic. He’s wasn’t phased. attracted to competition because he Rangel’s level of talent was never knows it makes him better. It separates an issue nor was it ever a concern for him from most other kids in the sense Rayburn or his coaching staff. One that he wants the work, he wants the thing that did help him, was his likable competition, and most others don’t.” personality, and his ability to connect Garrett, a quarterback, didn’t start with his teammates. until his sophomore season at Lone “His teammates wanted to play Star. However, despite not getting to with him, everyone on the offense wantstart or even play a significant amount ed to play for Garrett Rangel,” Rayburn during his freshman season, it didn’t said. “Even as a sophomore, a kid who stop Garrett from bringing any type of hadn’t started a single varsity game, impact possible to his teammates. a kid who hadn’t played that many “He understood he was a freshvarsity snaps had already captured the man and he understood his role,” attention and respect of his teammates. Rayburn said. “He’s one of those kids That in and of itself made my decision where if he doesn’t play a single down to pick a starting quarterback much in his career, he’s still going to add easier.”
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Rangel won the starting spot as a sophomore leading Lone Star to a 14-1 record and a class 5A semifinal appearance in just his first season as the starting quarterback, he threw for 50 touchdowns and was just short of 5,000 yards with 4,855. “At the quarterback position, you’ve really got to be a leader,” running back Ashton Jeanty said. “You’ve really got to be able to take charge of the offense. He does that every day and he does it effectively. He does it starting in practice and carries it all into the games.” The highly productive sophomore season from Rangel led to an offer from Nevada. Missouri State and North Texas followed shortly after. Rangel earned his first Power 5 offer from Oklahoma State on April 16th. “He was excited, and I was excited for him,” Rayburn said. “Even after they offered him Oklahoma State remained consistent. In my opinion more consistent than most if not all of the other schools recruiting him to be honest.” Rangel followed his sophomore year with another phenomenal season, recording 27 passing touchdowns and
2,429 yards through the air. Rangel committed to Oklahoma State on February 12th, choosing the Cowboys over Houston, Vanderbilt, Utah and others. “He had already developed a really good rapport with coach (Tim) Rattay,” Rayburn said. “I think what coach Gundy and coach Dunn do at Oklahoma State is very similar to what we do here at Lone Star offensively, and ultimately I think that’s something that stuck out to Garrett.” Following a senior season of 24 passing touchdowns, 2,049 yards, just 3 interceptions and leading Lone Star to a 9-3 record, Rangel remains euphoric about his upcoming chapter at Oklahoma State. “As his teammate, I’m just so excited for him,” Jeanty said. “With him being my teammate and knowing him for three years, you know, I’m just so happy that he’s going to be able to play at a place like Oklahoma State. Not only that, but I’m so excited for him to have success years after at the next level.” sports.ed@ocolly.com
Page 4 Wednesday, December 15, 2021
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Osmond’s path has led him to success at OSU
File Photo
Noah Weber Staff Reporter
Unlike other major sports in the United States, baseball is one of the only sports that allows players to go straight to the pro’s out of high school. Players that think they have what it takes to make it in the pro’s don’t have to attend college and can enter straight into the MLB draft right out of high school. This is a luxury that many high school baseball stars take advantage of, but not all. One high school baseball star that decided he wanted to enter the MLB Draft right out of high school was Jenks pitcher, Bryce Osmond. According to Perfect Game, one of the top baseball scouting services in the country, Osmond was the No. 1 ranked player in the state of Oklahoma and the No. 30 overall player in the country. Osmond had scouts at all of his games his senior season and playing in the MLB straight out of high school began to look more and more likely. “These guys thought that I was ready to go play pro ball and I probably wasn’t going to Oklahoma State,” Bryce
BE DEFINITE!
It has been a number of years ago that the Lord Jesus challenged me to be definite in making myself available to him. I was attending church regularly. My wife and I were giving to the work of God. We were not doing anything that would be considered wrong in the eyes of God. I thought I was available to Christ. As I prayed about this, I felt the Lord wanted me to spend more consistent time with him. I decided to get up each morning and spend an hour in prayer and in the Bible. The first morning when I knelt at the living room couch, I went to sleep. What a commitment! However, I did not give up. The next morning with my Bible in hand, I walked back and forth across the living room praising, praying and reading the Bible. I was being definite, not perfect, but definite.
said. “I didn’t know how it was going to work out, but it was sounding like I was going to have my name called on the first day.” Osmond had been committed to OSU since his freshman year of high school. He committed as a shortstop, but after beginning to pitch during the summer before his junior year he realized that he needed to go all in on pitching and make that his primary position. Once Osmond switched to pitcher, his dominance just increased. As a junior he pitched a 4-3 record with a 1.80 ERA and then as a senior he pitched a 7-1 record with a 1.64 ERA. Osmond became the best pitcher in the state of Oklahoma and the No. 10 right-handed pitcher in the country in just two years. He knew that pitching was his strength, and he was going to have a career of doing it whether that was at OSU or in the MLB. The fall before Bryce’s senior season, Bryce, his father Bill and his advisor Greg Schaum began meeting with teams. They met with all 30 teams at least once from the time between August to December, but Bryce wanted to lock in and focus on his senior season
King David said, “My heart says of you (God), ‘Seek his Face! Your face, Lord, I will seek.’ (Ps.27:8) David was a man after God’s own heart. He certainly was not perfect, but one who sought after and followed God. Being definite with God has such great reward. He is the Good Shepherd that will faithfully lead our lives into the best and lasting way. As the Lord challenges our lives in various areas of obedience and service, It is so important to be definite; to be clear, to be wholehearted. Go all the way, and do that thing(s) you are challenged to do. Don’t compromise! Possibly God is challenging you about a definite time in prayer and in scripture. Maybe it is in giving; not just occasionally, but often and consistently Maybe it is Christian service; helping is mission work; worthwhile projects. Go for it! Be definite. You will find God definite, and there will be lasting fruit and satisfaction.
once January rolled around and put the meetings on hold until after the season. “You just lay down the law a little bit without thinking you’re stepping on anyone’s toes,” Osmond said. After meeting with teams for over 60 total hours and getting to learn about the in’s and out’s of pro baseball, it started to become less likely for Bryce to be attending OSU following his senior year. “It got to the point towards the end of these meetings that I was thinking I wouldn’t be going to Oklahoma State,” Osmond said. On the morning of June 4, Bryce received a call from a team, and they said that they would take him if he was still available once it was their turn to pick. “That call made me go into a spiral of emotions and made me question if I was really ready for this,” Bryce said. To celebrate Bryce’s large possibility of getting drafted later that day, his family threw a watch party for the MLB draft so Bryce could celebrate with his friends and family once he got drafted. Everyone that was close to Bryce was at his house that day.
After all 76 picks of the first two rounds of the draft, Bryce never heard his name called and this caused him to have mixed emotions. Even with multiple teams seeming to have heavy interest, none ended up selecting him. “Even though it looked like a couple of teams would try to negotiate with Bryce by taking him early on, Bryce’s family was pretty firm on the number they were looking for,” Bryce’s advisor and President of Excelsior Leader Sports Greg Schaum said. “This led to teams not taking him in the first round or two in the draft.” Even though the reasoning behind most teams not selecting Osmond had to do with the money he was asking for, it still frustrated Bryce when a team didn’t keep their word. “There were two things going on after the first two rounds,” Bryce said. “One of them was that I was pissed because these guys told me they were going to take me in the first round and then they didn’t. The second emotion was complete relief. Thank God that didn’t happen because now I get to go to school.” See Osmond’s on 5
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Osmond’s...
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that deep down he knew that I wanted to come to school the whole time. And after hearing that from him, I thought that he was so right. Josh put me at ease with the whole situation.” Continued from 4 Bryce’s father Bill said one of the biggest reasons that Bryce didn’t get This feeling of relief was reindrafted was due to the amount of money forced for Osmond later that night when he was asking for. he was laying in his bed about to go to “For most teams, Bryce priced sleep. The head coach of OSU’s basehimself out of the equation,” Bill said. ball team, Josh Holliday, shot Bryce a “Most teams believed that Bryce was a text. second or third round talent, but he was “I told him that even though he asking for first round money.” might have felt a little bit of disappointAfter not getting drafted, Bryce ment or let down if things didn’t go the began to prepare for OSU and one way way he wanted them to, there is still a that he did this is through getting sent tremendous amount to look forward to,” to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, to play Holliday said. “There is a home here for the Pittsfield Suns of the Futures waiting for you with people who are all League. The Suns were a team conexcited about your arrival and I meant sisting of other incoming freshman every word of it.” baseball players combined with some This text message allowed OsDivision II and Division III players mond to relax and helped him look at who were looking to get work over the his situation in a new perspective. summer. “Coach Holliday told me that the “It was a miserable summer,” feeling of relief that I’m feeling was Bryce said. “It was a taste of living on really just everything aligning how it our own and it was awful.” was supposed to,” Bryce said. “He said Living on his own was one thing
Wednesday, December 15, 2021 Page 5
File photo
that Bryce was not ready for. By coming to OSU, Osmond had the chance to grow up a little bit and experience college before becoming draft eligible again after this upcoming season. Although Osmond thought that he made the right decision at the time by deciding to go play at OSU, not everyone agreed with him. One of these people being his father. “I thought that it was a terrible mistake at the time,” Bill said. “I think Bryce had a great opportunity to go play major league baseball. I thought that he could always go back and get his education, but you can’t always go back and play major league baseball.” Although Bryce’s father didn’t agree with the decision at the time, he does understand some of the benefits of being a college baseball player rather than going straight into minor league baseball out of high school. “Bryce had the opportunity to mature in an overall sense in a much stronger way by going to play in college and getting an education,” Bill said. “If he were to get drafted, he was going to be a baseball rat riding around on a
bus in minor league baseball for three years.” By deciding to play at OSU, Bryce has matured as a player as well as a man. He also believes that the process he went through as a senior in high school going into the draft has ultimately helped him as he will become draft eligible once again after this upcoming season. “I think being a high follow in high school and then going to college you automatically put yourself higher on team’s lists,” Bryce said. “You put the spotlight on yourself a little bit because they already know what they are going to be working with.” Osmond now enters his junior season with something to prove as he tries to make his baseball dreams of playing in the MLB come true once again as he will be eligible to enter the draft after this next season.
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Wednesday, December 15, 2021 Page 7
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ACROSS 1 “Sleepy Hollow” actress Christina 6 Scenic overlook offering 10 Tools with teeth 14 Broadcast warning sign 15 Included in the email loop, briefly 16 See 19-Across 17 Enforcement arm of the fed. courts 19 With 16-Across, staff symbol for viola music 20 Oopsy on the keys 21 Feel out of sorts 22 Somali-born supermodel 23 67.5 deg. 24 Streaming service whose logo ends with a math symbol 28 Curtain material 30 Vegas opening? 31 “How We Do (Party)” singer Rita 32 German suffix with Konzert 36 Technical sch. 37 What each set of circled letters spells ... and depicts 40 Works with hide 41 “This tastes awful!” 42 CPR provider 43 Darth, as a youth 44 Green stuff 48 “What I Like About You” co-star 53 In favor of 54 Sciences partner 55 “I do not see why I should __ turn back”: Frost 56 Where many a stuck thing sticks 57 Paris gal pal 58 Family CBS series set on a self-named mountain 61 Prejudice 62 Pole at sea 63 Undercut 64 Is too busy, say
12/15/21
By Matt Skoczen
65 Texter’s disclaimer, briefly 66 Change DOWN 1 Google Maps offerings 2 On the same page 3 RV park vehicle 4 Vatican farewell 5 Like some bargain bin mdse. 6 Blocker in a TV 7 “Show your cards” 8 Sushi bar fare 9 Part of wpm: Abbr. 10 Rogue 11 The whole time 12 Professional who breast-feeds another’s child 13 NorCal airport 18 Syrup source 22 “__ got it!” 24 “You said it!” 25 The Oscars, say 26 __ Haute 27 Grabbed a chair 29 Don of talk radio 33 Singer Turner’s memoir 34 Indian “master”
Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved
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35 Barcelona aunt 36 Really enjoying 37 ABBA musical 38 Quebecer’s neighbor 39 Helps 40 __ cozy 43 Common online interruptions 45 Yank from the soil 46 “Thank U, Next” singer Ariana
12/15/21
47 Doctor Doogie 49 Desert trial 50 “Oy!” 51 Not familiar with 52 Big Band __ 56 Lower left PC key 57 It can replace “pie” in an idiom 58 “Enough!” in texts 59 Bad actor 60 Grassy expanse
Daily Horoscope
Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Linda Black Horoscopes
Today’s Birthday (12/15/21). Profit and grow through communication this year. Consistent practices develop creative ideas into reality. Smile for the cameras this winter, before fresh energy propels your springtime workouts. Adapt to summer changes that reveal exciting new autumn possibilities. Express your heart, imagination and artistry. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is an 8 — Have faith in your own imagination. You can generate the resources that you need. Reinforce structural elements. Follow rules carefully. Grab a lucky break. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Pursue personal dreams. Shift vague possibilities into clear steps and actions. Avoid assumptions or preconceptions. If at first you don’t succeed, try again. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 7 — Consider things from a higher perspective. Private introspection shows what’s missing or broken. Make repairs and reinforce foundational elements. Get productive backstage. Prepare and plan. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is an 8 — A team dream or vision inspires you. Consider the possibilities. Connect with experts and friends. An interesting opportunity arises in your social network. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Dive into a professional challenge. Build basic foundational structures. Prepare for a test. Things may not go as expected. Outsmart the competition. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Studies, classes and webinars present fascinating revelations. What you’re learning sparks a deeper interest. Explore. Develop a vague dream into a clear possibility. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Patience with financial or bureaucratic tasks pays off. Manage taxes and legal affairs. Collaborate with your partner to keep accounts current. Find clever solutions. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — Collaborate with your partner. Encourage each other. You can realize seemingly impossible dreams together. Share the load. Provide support. Make a creative connection. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — Distractions abound, and work could seem intense. Prioritize health and fitness. Maintain routines. Dreams may not match reality. Plot your course. Keep practicing. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Relax and enjoy good company. Set aside worries. Have fun with people you love. Learn from family, especially children. Imagine a romantic dream come true. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — Get into a practical domestic phase. Stick close to home and conserve resources. Cook homemade treats and share with family. Clean and reorganize things. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is an 8 — You’re learning voraciously. Dig into a tricky puzzle. A vague possibility clarifies with investigation. Research and articulate your views. Share your vision.
Level 1
2
3
4
Solution to Tuesday’s puzzle
12/15/21 Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk
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Page 8 Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Senate... Continued from 6 Raising the debt ceiling past $30 trillion for the first time, to nearly $31.4 trillion, is likely to feature prominently in GOP campaign ads as the measure is likely to become law without any help from Republicans. During debate, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell tied the vote to pending action on a roughly $2.2 trillion social spending and climate package, largely financed by tax increases, and rampant inflation. “Later today every Senate Democrat is going to vote on party lines to raise our nation’s debt limit by trillions of dollars,” McConnell said on the floor. “If they jam through another reckless taxing and spending spree, this massive debt increase will just be the beginning. More printing and borrowing to set up more reckless spending to cause more inflation, to hurt working families even more.” Behind the scenes Despite such rhetoric, Schumer and McConnell worked behind the scenes to cut a deal creating a temporary exemption to the Senate’s cloture rules for this debt ceiling increase. That mechanism was attached to separate legislation since a number of Senate Republicans wouldn’t give unanimous consent to allow debate on a debt limit bill, and there weren’t enough Senate Republicans to vote for cloture, which requires 60 votes. At first, McConnell and Schumer discussed attaching the provision to the fiscal 2022 defense authorization measure, but that plan ran into pushback from Republicans who didn’t want to tie the popular defense bill to a debt limit vote that would cause them angst back home. In the end they agreed to include the provision in a separate bill delaying automatic cuts in Medicare and other politically sensitive programs like farm price supports. Those cuts would have been triggered under the 2010 and 2011 laws that contained the previous largest debt limit increases in dollar terms. Another selling point for Republicans was getting Democrats to agree to a dollar figure, rather than simply suspending the debt limit until a future date as had been the practice since 2013. The other way around the Senate’s filibuster rules would have been through the budget reconciliation process, which Republicans insisted for months Democrats would have to use. Democrats said since both parties have contributed to running up the debt, it was a bipartisan responsibility to raise the debt limit, which Congress has done 99 times since 1940 including a short-term patch that became law in October, according to Office of Management and Budget records.
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News “As I have said repeatedly, this is about paying debt accumulated by both parties,” Schumer said Tuesday. Historical context When one party has controlled the executive and legislative branches, however, it’s typically been a more partisan process. In 1993, Democrats had majorities on Capitol Hill and President Bill Clinton in the White House. They attached a debt limit increase to a major reconciliation bill including tax increases that passed on party-line votes in both chambers. In 2003, 2004 and 2006, Republicans were in control at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. They used the “Gephardt rule” in the House to automatically send the Senate debt limit legislation without recorded votes upon adoption of a budget resolution in 2003 and 2006. In 2004, the House passed a debt limit increase along strict party lines. In the Senate during the George W. Bush years, Democrats agreed not to filibuster the debt limit bills — unlike Republicans this year. Just two conservative Senate Democrats, Sens. John Breaux of Louisiana and Zell Miller of Georgia, voted for the 2003 and 2004 increases, though Republicans had enough votes to pass them on their own. No Democrats supported the 2006 measure. In late 2009 and early 2010, majority Democrats had the House and 60 Senate votes on their side for much of that time. No House Republicans voted for debt limit increases in those years. In early 2009 when the ailing Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., was absent, Democrats needed a little GOP help to pass their economic stimulus package, which was also the vehicle for a debt limit increase. They ultimate secured votes from Maine GOP Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia J. Snowe, as well as Pennsylvania’s Arlen Specter, who switched parties later that year. Senate Democrats and Republicans worked out deals in advance to avoid separate cloture votes on two other debt limit bills, but still require 60 votes on final passage. A short-term patch passed on Christmas Eve 2009; one Democrat, Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, voted “no” but Republican Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio backed the measure. The larger 2010 increase, attached to the statutory pay-as-you-go law that was waived last week as part of the expedited debt limit process bill, became law with no Republican votes. Likewise, this latest debt limit increase is expected to pass solely with Democratic votes. ——— (Peter Cohn, Paul M. Krawzak and David Lerman contributed to this report.) ___ ©2021 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. news.ed@ocolly.com
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