Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) voted against the Budget Control Act of 2011, an inadequate compromise to raise the federal debt ceiling which will make draconian and unbalanced cuts to key social programs that millions of Americans depend on.  He issued the following statement:

“Defaulting on our debts is not an option.  That’s why I voted for a clean debt ceiling increase, free from the unnecessary clutter of budgetary or other non-related matters.  And that’s why I voted for Senator Reid’s plan this past Saturday, though parts of that plan were excessive and imbalanced.  I am also the lead sponsor of a resolution to support the president’s use of Article 2, Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution to raise the debt ceiling – solely as a last resort.  But this so-called compromise – 'the Budget Control Act' – is just the latest blackmail request from extortionist Republicans. 

“This legislation lays out an unbalanced, callous plan that will strangle the middle class and working poor, to say nothing of the elderly and kids.  These blackmailers are telling the American people, ‘either you will accept deep cuts to vital programs that support seniors, students, children, women, and the poor, or we will force this nation to default on its debts’ – an unprecedented and reckless move that would lead to skyrocketing interest rates on mortgages, credit cards, student loans, and the like.  So, either we stifle our economy and stymie job growth, or we kill the middle class and stymie job growth. 

“Shockingly, while Republicans are holding us all hostage, telling us our country is broke and we have to cut programs that are lifelines to millions of Americans, they are letting the wealthiest among us – the corporations, millionaires, billionaires, and oil companies – off scot-free, without doing their fair share.   

“This proposal is exactly the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time.  With our economy still struggling and gasping for air, with more and more Americans looking for jobs, we should be promoting job growth and those federal and state programs that put people to work.  But, instead of doing the things Americans do best – that is, building things and creating opportunity – Tea Partiers want to send this country over the cliff.  We must say NO.”

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