Our question this week comes from Rae in Visalia. They asked:
What is your position on the Republican party's use of the National Debt ceiling as a negotiating tool and risking the credit standing of the United States worldwide?
Thank you for your question, Rae. I know many people in the Valley are concerned about the uncertainty surrounding the debt limit. I firmly believe that both the President and House Republicans will negotiate a deal that both raises the debt limit while also reining in out-of-control government spending that is adding trillions of dollars to the debt and crippling generations to come.
For over 100 days, Speaker Kevin McCarthy asked President Biden to have a conversation about the debt limit. Unfortunately, the President chose to not engage, instead opting to leave the negotiations until the very last moment. Last month, House Republicans passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act which reduces spending while also lifting the debt limit. While this was by no means a perfect bill, it's the only bill passed by either chamber that raises the debt limit. If Senate Democrats wanted to make changes to our bill and send it back to the House, they could. If they wanted to pass a bill to lift the debt limit without any spending reductions, they could. But the truth is the Democrat-controlled Senate has done nothing to raise the debt ceiling.
The majority of Americans believe raising the debt ceiling should be accompanied by commonsense spending reforms. Both parties are responsible for the fiscal situation we find ourselves in, and both parties should be willing to come to the table to restore some fiscal sanity to the federal government. I am confident that when all is said and done, Democrats and Republicans will come to an agreement to lift the debt limit and reduce excess Washington spending.