Most House members cast their votes on the debt ceiling bill on Monday but three lawmakers did not vote at all. Congressman Maurice Hinchey, New York Democrat, is recovering from cancer surgery and Congressman Joe Baca, California Democrat, who also is on medical leave and recovering from ankle surgery.
Interestingly the arrival of one Democrat who has been out for some time may have caused another Democrat to miss the vote. While Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona Democrat, made a surprise visit to the Capitol over 8 months after being shot in the head by a deranged gunman in Tuscon earlier in the year, one Wisconsin Democrat who was in D.C. was unable to cast her vote for the passage of the budget control act.
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Congresswoman Woman Gwen Moore, was able to vote for a number of measures before the final passage measure came to the floor. Apparently, Ms. Moore went back to her office after a series of votes on floor prior the the actual vote on the debt ceiling bill.
When she returned, apparently, she intended to vote in favor of the bill, but the hallways were full to capacity off the floor. In fact, press, staff, and visitors were not allowed in the House galleries as House members gave a standing ovation to Rep. Giffords as she cast her vote in favor of the debt ceiling bill, so the hallways outside of the floor were flooded with people.
Unfortunately, for Rep. Moore, who was already running late to the floor, she found herself weaving through a huge crowd both on and off the House floor. By the time she cast her vote for the bill, it was already too late, and the Wisconsin Democrat was marked down as not voting.
