Washington, D.C. – Senator Ron Johnson (WI) made the following remarks today regarding the debt situation:

“Last Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act in response to President Obama's request to increase the Federal government's debt ceiling. In return for granting his request, this bill asked the President and Senate Democrats to accept $111 billion (3%) in real cuts to next year's budget, spending caps that would gradually decrease the rate of growth of spending over the next 10 years, and passage of a Constitutional Amendment to limit the size of government and balance our budget. The Constitutional Amendment would then be sent to the States for ratification.

“Unfortunately, the Democrat-controlled Senate would not even allow the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act to come up for debate, even though a recent poll showed 66% of Americans supported this approach and 74% supported a Balance Budget Amendment.

“As a result, the House is now attempting to craft another bill that can pass both the House and the Senate. As work proceeds on this effort, I urge my colleagues in the House to honor our commitment to real spending restraint and fiscal control.  We must break the cycle of Washington's business as usual that is bankrupting America.  

“Reasonable, but real spending cuts are necessary in the first year to lower the budget baseline and make the promised 10 year spending caps credible. In exchange, I would be willing to support a short-term increase in the debt ceiling to allow a full debate on the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act.

“Once the American people have a chance to fully evaluate this approach, I am confident they will agree that it is the solution to Washington's out-of-control spending. By passing a Constitutional Amendment and sending it to the States for ratification, Congress would put the decision of long-term fiscal restraint where it belongs, in the hands of the American people. I would be happy to let the American people decide.”

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