Rep. Gowdy Statement on the Debt Ceiling Debate

Statement

Today, Rep. Trey Gowdy (SC-4) released the following statement in response to President Obama's press conference.

"In 2013, President Obama implores Congress to raise the debt ceiling with no conversation about spending cuts, working toward a balanced budget or fiscal reforms. For those who missed the outrage he continued, "it would be a self-inflicted wound on the economy," he said. "To even entertain the idea of this happening … is irresponsible. It's absurd."

"When President Obama was Senator Obama he had a very different view."

"In 2005, when voting NOT to raise the debt ceiling he said this:

"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can't pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance fromforeign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies. … Increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that "the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better."

"In 2006 and 2007, the issue was so critical to the economic well being of our country, Senator Obama . . . . . did not even vote on whether to raise the debt ceiling or not."

"So. Mr. President, were you right in 2005, 2006, 2007 or 2013. You have taken at least three different positions on raising the debt ceiling."

"Were you correct in 2005 when you said, "increasing [our] debt weakens us domestically"?"

"Were you correct when you said "increasing [our] debt weakens us internationally"?"

"Is Washington still shifting the burden of bad choices onto the backs of our children?"

"Do we still have a debt problem?"

"Do we still have a leadership problem?"

"Is it in the White House?"

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