The Senate is poised to take up a “clean” debt limit bill that would increase the nation’s borrowing authority by at least $1.1 trillion dollars with no spending or budget reform attached.
The debt ceiling is a tool to monitor the country’s fiscal health. Lawmakers cannot claim to be serious about the country’s debt if they vote to increase the debt limit without any plan to address government spending. By suspending the debt ceiling for over a year, S. 1569 would eliminate any chance for budget reform that tackles the nation’s debt.
In 2011, taxpayers won $2.5 trillion in cuts after both parties agreed spending reform was a necessary condition of increasing the debt limit. The Senate Democrat plan would reverse these gains and give the President a blank check to increase spending until past the next election. If Washington is ever going to get its fiscal house in order, it must do so now by having a serious debate over federal budget issues.
Taxpayers deserve better. Vote no on the long-term clean debt limit hike.