May 15th, 2009

From The Greenville News:

The resolution, which had already passed the Senate, was approved in the House Thursday on a voice vote.

Rep. Nikki Haley, a Lexington County Republican who has pushed for all House votes to be recorded, said afterward that a majority of the body did not know what had passed until after the vote.

She asked Harrell afterward why no roll call vote was held. Harrell said House rules do not require one.

Some of those opposed to the resolution then asked the body to reconsider the vote. The House tabled the move by a vote of 95-17.

Haley said afterward the House treatment of the issue mirrored how it handled the newest version of the budget adopted this week.

She called the stimulus resolution “irresponsible.”

“We have 18 months to decide how to spend this money,” she said. “At what point does the legislature and the governor sit down and say, how can we agree to spend this money? That’s what needs to happen. The two groups need to come together and agree on how to spend it, not passing resolutions, not putting out political statements.”