Louisiana State Representatives Disagree Over ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Legislation

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana's delegation was divided as Congress agreed to a compromise to avert the so-called "fiscal cliff" of middle-class tax increases and spending cuts.

While Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu and Republican Sen. David Vitter supported the legislation, most of the state's U.S. House delegation opposed it.

Democratic Rep. Cedric Richmond and Republican Rep. Rodney Alexander voted Tuesday night for the bill sent to President Barack Obama, amid concerns that without a deal, the tax increases and spending cuts could send the nation's economy back into recession.

Louisiana's five other GOP House members — Reps. Charles Boustany, Bill Cassidy, John Fleming, Jeff Landry and Steve Scalise — voted against it. Critics disagreed with allowing some tax increases and said the legislation didn't cut spending to help shrink the federal deficit.