WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, The Hill published an op-ed by U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) praising House Republicans for their work to control spending while calling on President Biden and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to engage in good-faith negotiations to forge a bipartisan compromise on the debt limit.
Read the full op-ed HERE.
Tillis on the state of play with the debt limit stalemate:
“My House Republican colleagues demonstrated tremendous leadership by passing a debt limit increase that included reforms to restore fiscal soundness and fulfill the promises they made to reverse the reckless ideological spending of the Biden administration,” wrote Tillis. “They defied the political prognosticators who questioned whether they could even pass the bill, proving they have a true governing majority, even if whipping all those votes doesn’t always look easy. Simply put, House Republicans did their job and took default off the table. Unfortunately, President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) haven’t demonstrated the same initiative in passing a bipartisan debt limit increase or getting our nation’s fiscal house in order. Biden and Schumer appear unwilling to compromise and for months even resisted the idea of simply sitting down for a discussion. They are both practicing raw partisan politics and playing a dangerous game with America’s future.”
Tillis on Schumer’s complete opposition to a compromise to get spending under control:
“Schumer also needs to step up and get involved. It would be insulting to the intelligence of any American to claim the Senate is doing any meaningful work right now. Schumer has recently made two- and half-day working weeks in the Senate the norm, where the Senate’s only business these days is confirming low-level nominees or voting on partisan gimmick messaging bills that go nowhere. It’s time for Schumer to step up and help hammer out a deal. To help move the process along, Senate Republicans should consider denying Schumer cloture on his not-so-urgent business until he finally gets to the negotiating table with McCarthy and President Biden and works in good faith to protect our nation’s credit and get spending under control. Schumer should be dedicating every waking moment to bringing us closer to a bipartisan compromise. Denying cloture could take away distractions and keep the focus on the most pressing issue facing the nation. The future of the country would not be in peril if a low-level nominee for an obscure executive position no one has ever heard of will have to wait a few extra weeks to get confirmed. But the economic future of our country will be in peril if no headway is made to obtain a debt limit deal.”
Tillis on the path forward:
“Only House Republicans have passed legislation to avoid that catastrophic scenario, and it’s not a take-it-or-leave-it proposition. Both parties need to be reasonable with the path forward. Republicans passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act. If Biden and Schumer don’t like it, they need to negotiate. And if they do, consensus can emerge. Republicans and Democrats should both agree that $31 trillion in debt is unsustainable and we need to make spending cuts, just as elected leaders did in 2011. Both parties can find agreement on how and where to achieve those cuts, including clawing back unspent COVID-19 funding, cutting funding streams that ultimately benefit communist China, ending special interest tax breaks, and adding modest work requirements that will help lift Americans out of poverty. The only good outcome for all Americans would be avoiding default and getting our unsustainable rate of spending under control. Whether we get that outcome is a question that only the president and Senate majority leader can answer.”
###
