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Van Hollen Statement on House Debt Ceiling Vote

Statement

Date: May 31, 2011
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Senior Citizens Entitlements and the Safety Net Health Insurance Government Budget and Spending

Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, issued the following statement on the House vote on H.R.1954, legislation to increase the statutory limit on the public debt:

"Tonight's vote was a political stunt. Republicans are demagoguing the debt ceiling increase for political gain, but their own budget would add $8.8 trillion to the debt over the next decade. By threatening to default, they are simply holding jobs and the economy hostage in order to pass their extreme budget that dismantles the Medicare guarantee. Indeed Republicans have now embraced the argument that they will pay China and foreign creditors, but not cover Medicare and Social Security. Republicans have doubled down on their plan to end the Medicare guarantee, and it is amazing what they will do to impose what Newt Gingrich rightly described as 'right wing social engineering.'"


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