By Trish Choate | Scripps Howard News Service

WASHINGTON — The Coastal Bend congressional delegation split on the deal to end the government shutdown and raise the nation’s borrowing limit through Feb. 7.

U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, voted against the bipartisan measure Wednesday night, and U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, cast his vote for the legislation to pull the nation back from the brink of default.

Farenthold said the plan didn’t identify long-term ways to rein in spending and make the economy grow.

“We must cut up the credit cards and find ways to grow our economy first,” Farenthold said in a media release Wednesday. “The plan passed Wednesday night protects the status quo in Washington. That’s what disappointed me about the proposal, and that’s why I ultimately could not support it.”

The approved legislation ends the 16-day-old shutdown by funding the government through Jan. 15. With the country teetering on default, the measure allows the United States to keep borrowing money to pay its bills.

It also gives federal workers back pay for furloughs and leaves the Affordable Care Act virtually unscathed.

Farenthold, a tea party enthusiast, has been vocal about opposing “Obamacare” and the need for the GOP to use a rare opportunity for leverage to delay the new health care law’s implementation or win some concession to spark economic growth. Farenthold also has been a strong supporter of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. The tea party Texan has been prominent in the fight to impede the ACA.

On Wednesday, Farenthold said he was relieved the legislation allows the country to pay its bills, keeps spending levels as agreed and requires income verification for people seeking subsidies under the ACA.

He laid the blame for the shutdown on the White House and Democratic lawmakers.

They refused to negotiate, “prolonging the government shutdown, driving us to the brink of default, and making this whole situation as painful as possible for political gain.”

Vela was not supportive of some Republican tactics and condemnation of the new health care law.

“Right-wing efforts that resulted in shutting down the government that were tied to the health care act was just a silly approach,” he said, speaking ahead of the vote.

“We would have avoided a lot of heartache for a lot of people” if lawmakers had voted on a clean continuing resolution to fund the government two weeks ago, Vela, a conservative Democrat, said.

He supports the new health care law but, without question, changes are needed, he said. The rollout of the law has not gone well.

“I’m just glad that people are going to get to be able to go back to work around the country and in our district,” Vela said. “Hopefully we don’t end up in the same spot in January or February.”

The Senate approved the measure 81-18 on Wednesday night, and the House followed with a 285-144 vote in the Republican-controlled House.

Coastal Bend Leaders in Congress Split on Deal Ending Shutdown