Whitfield Opposes Increase In National Debt Ceiling

Press Release

Citing concerns over increased government spending at a time of unprecedented deficits, U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01) opposed legislation today to increase the national debt ceiling by $290 billion.

"Instead of reining in excessive government spending to bring down our soaring national debt, Speaker Pelosi has her own solution to our budget problems -- "just borrow more,' " Whitfield said. "With the national debt sitting at a record high of $12 trillion, the last thing we need to do is give Congress a license to spend more. Now is the time for Congress to curb its runaway spending habits before our national debt becomes an insurmountable burden for future generations."

The House passed, and Whitfield opposed, H.R. 4314, a bill which increases the national debt limit from $12.104 trillion to $12.394 trillion. The national debt limit sets a ceiling for how much money the federal government can borrow. According to the Department of Treasury, the current national debt is $12.071 trillion, $33 billion away from reaching the current limit. The national debt was extended last February from $11.315 trillion to $12.104 trillion when the House passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which Whitfield also opposed. With Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team in Congress continuing to spend more money than the government has available, experts anticipate that the debt limit will have to be raised again before March 2010.

Whitfield has been an outspoken critic of excessive government spending and has voiced concerns over the impact the high national debt will have on the nation. He introduced legislation earlier this year which would require Congress to have a means to pay for any legislation passed in the House of Representatives.

The debt limit bill now awaits consideration in the Senate.

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