Late this afternoon on the floor of the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) issued the following statement in opposition of the Republican leadership’s rule for debate on the Supplemental Appropriations bill, H. Res. 428. The rule passed by a vote of 216 to 209, with 3 voting present.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule because it takes another giant step in the Republican march toward fiscal irresponsibility that has characterized their performance in the 107th Congress.
The majority has done everything possible to hide from the American people that this rule allows the second largest increase in the nation’s debt limit ever.
The Republican tax cut has already driven the nation back into deficit spending. As a result, every penny of this backdoor increase in the debt limit will come from the Social Security and Medicare trust funds.
We all agree, Mr. Speaker, that additional resources are needed to meet our nation’s defense and homeland security needs. We all support that, Democrats and Republicans alike.
As the senior Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, I understand full well that the investments that are necessary for a strong response to ongoing terrorist threats must be met.
However, I must say shame on the Republican majority for hiding their revising
of the debt limit and their raid on Social Security and Medicare behind our
legitimate need to protect our forces and to protect our country.
It is possible to fight terrorism and put forth a fiscally responsible budget,
but the Republican leadership has failed to do so.
Again and again, we have heard excuses from the majority as they attempt to explain the dramatic shift from surpluses to deficits, and the raid of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds that has resulted.
A wartime budget, a recession, forecast errors - the list goes on and on, but the questions remain.
Where is the plan to get us out of this mess? Why should we sign a blank check to pay for the Republican tax cut by raiding Social Security and Medicare?
Last year, the majority said they had an economic plan that would pay down the maximum amount of debt possible and promised to protect the entire Social Security surplus.
Today, they are requesting the second largest increase in the debt limit in our nation’s history to continue their raid on Social Security and Medicare.
We have to have an up or down vote on this stealth plan to mortgage our children’s future.
I urge my colleagues to oppose the rule.