Rep Harris Releases Statement on Partial Shutdown and Debt Ceiling Negotions

Statement

Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. released the following statement on the latest developments regarding the partial shutdown and debt ceiling negotiation:

"Our nation is at a crossroads - and the decisions we make over both a government spending bill and on raising our debt ceiling will determine the fiscal future of America. President Obama and the Senate leadership want the House to pass their "clean" spending plan. It is anything but clean. Their bill would fund the special exception for members of Congress to get taxpayer-subsidized "Gold" health plans, subsidies for health care that no one else in America will be eligible for. Their plan allows big businesses to get an exemption from the Obamacare mandate, but not individuals, and their plan allows spending to continue at the same rate that led us to this year's $650 billion deficit.

"In his opposition to raising the debt ceiling, in 2006, then-Senator Obama said, "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." What he said then is still true today. Since that time, the national debt has doubled. We spend more today just on paying the interest on our national debt than we do on the Departments of Veteran Affairs, Homeland Security, and Agriculture. That's why passing a "clean" debt ceiling increase is a bad idea.

"We need to get our nation on a path toward fiscal responsibility and not continue the reckless spending.""

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