Hoyer: House Must Pass Clean Debt Limit Extension Without Delay

WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke at a press conference today with Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Assistant Leader Jim Clyburn (D-SC), and Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) to call on House Republicans to bring to the Floor a clean bill to pay America’s bills as soon as possible and to announce that 190 Democratic Members had signed Rep. Welch’s letter calling for a clean debt limit extension.  Below are his remarks as delivered:

“I want to thank Peter Welch of Vermont for his leadership on this issue... No one believes that it’s good policy not to make sure, as Peter Welch says, that America pays its bills.  That’s not only important because that morally is the right thing to do, intellectually it’s the right thing to do, but it is also what keeps the economy of the world relatively stable.  And if we were to default on our debt, our [credit rating] would be lowered, costs to the American people would escalate – not only the public debt but the costs of [loans for] refrigerators and automobiles and college loans would escalate so that it would adversely affect everybody in the United States and around the world. 

“So, hopefully, Republicans will come to their senses and make sure, in the next six legislative days that we have left – and, hopefully, sooner rather than later, meaning early next week  –  that we pass a clean extension of the debt limit, which simply says: America will pay its bills.  Every American thinks that’s the right policy. 

“Hopefully the Republican-led Congress will adopt that policy, and that policy – I guarantee them – will be overwhelmingly supported by the Democratic minorities in the House and Senate.  If we can make it happen, we would.  They need to lead.  We will help them do so.”