By Brandon Moseley
Early Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to raise the debt ceiling by another $2.5 trillion. This will keep the federal government funded through 2023 and past midterm elections. Only one House Republican voted in favor of the bill.
Congressman Jerry Carl (R-AL01) issued a statement regarding his vote against the Democrats’ $2.5 trillion debt ceiling increase.
“I voted against the Democrats’ partisan $2.5 trillion debt ceiling increase because the last thing we need is to give Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden a blank check to continue their runaway spending,” Carl said. “Raising the debt ceiling by $2.5 trillion does nothing more than pave the way for Democrats to continue wasting money on big government programs and Green New Deal mandates. It’s time for Washington to get control of its spending problem and quit mortgaging the future of our children and grandchildren by borrowing trillions more dollars that we cannot afford.”
Congressman Barry Moore (R-AL02) also released a statement explaining his vote against giving the Treasury the authority to issue more debt.
“Speaker Pelosi and her Big Government Democrats have made clear that there is no limit to how much of your money they are willing to spend to grow their own power,” said Moore. “By asking taxpayers to write a blank check to the Biden administration to pay for its wildly expensive socialist spending spree, Democrats are saddling future generations of Americans in deeper debt — mostly to China, our most dangerous geopolitical foe. Congress should be laser-focused on protecting the safety and economic security of Americans, not squandering the viability of our nation for short-term political gain.”
Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL06) spoke against the debt hike.
“It seems that the Democrats still can’t accept any limit on wasteful spending, even as we watch inflation inflict financial hardship on American families across the country,” Palmer said. “The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) also just published the true cost of the Democrats’ massive spending bill, and it would add over $3 trillion to our national debt. The U.S. debt is already 25 percent bigger than the entire economy, and the CBO projects that our debt-to-GDP will be over 200 percent by 2051. That means our debt will be twice as big as our entire economy. Such debt levels will ensure long-term inflation and possibly the loss of the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency. We must recognize the threat to America’s future that such debt levels pose and take action to reduce our debt. We can start by eliminating wasteful spending, eliminating obsolete and unnecessary federal programs, reopening federal lands for oil and natural gas production and increase our exports, eliminating improper payments, and simplifying the federal tax code.”
Congressional Democrats meanwhile argued that not increasing the debt limit is risking the full faith and credit of the United States, avoids default, and is necessary to continue to fund programs that both parties have voted in favor of.
“Members of Congress should never play politics with the full faith and credit of the United States,” said Sewell. “We have an obligation to pay our bills that have piled up under previous administrations including President Trump's. Addressing the debt limit is the responsible thing to do, and I was proud to join my Democratic colleagues to protect families from catastrophe and pay our bills.”
The bill had already passed the Senate late on Tuesday.
The national debt is $29.03 trillion.
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