Thompson Opposes Raising Debt Ceiling Without Spending Reforms

Washington, D.C. – Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson issued the following statement on Monday night after the House overwhelmingly defeated a request from President Obama to raise the nation’s debt ceiling without any spending cuts or budget reforms. Thompson voted to oppose the measure, H.R. 1954, which failed to pass the House by a vote of 318 - 97.

“Raising the debt ceiling without significant structural spending reforms would send a signal to the world that America lacks the political will to restore fiscal sanity and meet our obligations.

“Last month Standard and Poor’s lowered the U.S.’s credit rating outlook, sending a clear message to Washington that we must work together to end out of control spending. House Democrats and the White House have been asking for a clean up or down vote on raising the debt limit, most recently when more than 100 Democrats signed a letter to the House leadership requesting an up or down vote on the debt ceiling. Tonight they received that request, and the legislation’s failure demonstrates that any plan to raise the debt limit without dramatic steps to reduce spending and reform the budget process is unacceptable to the American people.

“Tonight the House voted to deny this Administration and congressional Democrats a blank check to keep spending our nation further into debt. With any hope, we’ve sent a clear message that it’s time to stop with the political pandering and get serious about bringing about real budgetary reforms.”

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