Negotiate in Good Faith on the Nation's Debt Ceiling

Floor Speech

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Mr. POCAN. Mr. Speaker, Republicans aren't being honest when they tell you they are trying to negotiate in good faith on the Nation's debt ceiling.

First, this shouldn't be a negotiation; it is paying our bills we have already spent. We have lifted the debt ceiling over 80 times before, including three times during President Trump's tenure because you have to pay your bills.

Second, the legislation they passed, as an alleged negotiation, shows how drastic they would like to cut spending but can't because they can't even put specifics on paper, like the President and the Democrats have. They would love to cut programs drastically, but the cuts would hurt so many Americans they can't actually do it. That is why they haven't released a budget.

I serve on the Appropriations Committee--let me explain what the Republicans want to do. They passed a bill to cut spending to fiscal year 2022 levels. That sounds innocuous enough, but here is what it actually means. Deep cuts.

We have discretionary and nondiscretionary spending. We can't cut nondiscretionary spending like Social Security and Medicare because, well, it is your money that we hold on to as a public trust. By law, we can't cut nondiscretionary spending. That only leaves discretionary funds that can be changed.

Discretionary funds are eligible for cuts or increases, but the GOP majority further limits that by saying they won't cut Pentagon spending, amounting to over half of the discretionary funds.

That leaves a much smaller portion of the total budget to absorb all the cuts they propose, adding up to a 22 percent cut of all remaining funds. That is 22 percent of the funds that help veterans, 22 percent of the funds to protect the border, funds for Meals on Wheels programs, funds for railroad safety inspections, education, housing, and healthcare, all cut.

Think about those levels of cuts and what that effect would have on you and your family. They talk a tough game on the border, but they would cut 22 percent of the funding going to protect the border. Cutting Border Patrol and Customs officers could increase the flow of people coming into the country and cut back on searches for fentanyl and other drugs at our points of entry.

They say they want to back the blue and support our police, but 22 percent cuts to Federal law enforcement and grants to local police departments are hardly the support they need.

They say they support our veterans--but cut veterans' food assistance programs and housing choice vouchers, hurting tens of thousands of veterans who have bravely served. Even the PACT Act that finally made it through Congress to help veterans exposed to toxic chemicals wouldn't get the funding needed to help those who served our Nation.

It keeps going. 180,000 fewer children would have access to childcare; 10,800 fewer OSHA inspections of plants would expose workers to unsafe conditions. Drug treatment courts would lose funding, and 29,000 fewer people would be able to get treatment for opioid addiction.

There is a reason why they can't put out a full budget. It is because these types of cuts aren't workable.

It is worse. If they do fund some areas, then other areas will see even deeper cuts--30 percent or more cuts in some of the areas I just mentioned. If they don't get these cuts, then they won't pay our Nation's current bills and will force our Nation into default.

When you sign a mortgage, you can't decide whether or not you are going to send your monthly check. If you default, then you lose your house, and your credit is shot. The same is true for the Federal Government.

You would also be directly affected by Republican default. Millions of people would lose their jobs. Interest rates for home buyers and small businesses would go up overnight. Stocks would tank, sinking your retirement investments.

Congress has to pay its bills like you do, responsibly, and you do that by lifting the debt ceiling now. If not, then, Mr. President, invoke parts of the 14th Amendment to pay our bills and not damage the economy.

Enough messing around. Get the job done, House Republicans. Your constituents deserve it.

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