04.20.23

WHITEHOUSE: “THIS DISASTER OF A PLAN IS A NONSTARTER”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement after the release of Speaker McCarthy’s debt limit plan.

“This disaster of a plan is a nonstarter. By eliminating clean energy tax credits and investments, House Republicans are rolling back our progress on the climate crisis and putting their fossil fuel megadonors over hundreds of thousands of clean tech workers—even in their own backyards.  Their message is stark:  polluters above people. 

“They have the audacity to call this the ‘Limit, Save, Grow Act.’  What a farce.  It would release unlimited carbon pollution.  It would cost Americans trillions in climate harm.  And it would shrink our economy by disinvesting in the technologies of tomorrow.

“This MAGA Republican plan imposes extreme and unpopular cuts to programs and services that enable this country to run.  Behind anodyne phrases like ‘fiscal 2022 levels’ and ‘spending caps’ lurk cuts up to 30% for border security, law enforcement, job training, affordable energy, opioid treatment, housing, food programs, and health insurance.  This MAGA Republican wish list is reckless and wrong, driven by creepy right-wing billionaires.  

“Instead of following the constitution, MAGA Republicans want to use the threat of a dangerous default to ram down Americans’ throats an ideology so extreme that it simply won’t fly in Congress.  As Speaker McCarthy made clear today, MAGA Republicans are holding our economy hostage to service their wealthy donors.

“Democrats will never give into the demands of hostage takers.  Congress must raise the debt limit without conditions, as it has routinely done under both Democratic and Republican administrations.”