FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After extremist Republicans continued to hold the economy and the American people hostage with their dangerous refusal to increase the debt ceiling and allow America to pay its bills, Congressman Jamaal Bowman Ed.D. (NY-16) signed a discharge petition to force the Republican-led House to take a vote on a clean debt limit increase. He also joined the Congressional Progressive Caucus in a letter to President Biden, urging him to invoke the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling rather than accept a deal that slashes essential federal programs. 

Congressman Jamaal Bowman Ed.D. (NY-16) released the following statement and video.

“Let’s be clear with what’s going on right now: Republicans are holding both our economy and the American people hostage. By refusing to raise the debt ceiling, Republicans are going to force America to default on its debt that has been incurred under Republican and Democratic presidents. America has always and will always pay its bills, and we need a clean debt limit to avoid global economic catastrophe. Under Trump, Speaker Kevin McCarthy and a Republican-controlled Congress voted to raise the debt ceiling three times. Now, instead of doing the fiscally responsible thing, they are playing politics with American lives by threatening to cut vital programs that uplift our most vulnerable communities like SNAP, Medicaid, and free school lunch. If Republicans are concerned with fiscal responsibility as they claim they are, they must raise the debt limit, ensure their wealthy friends pay their fair share of taxes, and stop spending billions of dollars on military and weapons. We cannot let Republicans continue their hateful crusade of holding our economy hostage. Congress and House Republicans must do their job and raise the debt ceiling immediately.”  

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