08.16.11

Sessions Comments On Possibility Of Last-Minute Debt Deal

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today regarding the current status of debt negotiations as the Senate awaits a vote on Majority Leader Reid’s debt limit proposal:

“One thing every American should know: the level of spending cuts currently being discussed is only a small step. It will not change the debt course we are on. The Republican House has passed several measures, including a historic budget, which would have changed our debt course. The Democrat Senate rejected the House budget, refused to present a plan of its own, and has failed to adopt a budget for 822 days.

Ultimately, a solution is more difficult to achieve as a result of the president's current focus on his re-election, as evidenced by his recent statement that the only bottom line I have is that we have to extend this debt ceiling through the next election, into 2013. The president thinks it's about him. It's not. It?s about America.

Now, in the 11th hour, having totally surrendered the public legislative process, Congress is at the mercy of one last round of closed-door meetings that we can only hope will produce a minimally acceptable result.”

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