DeLauro Statement on Biden-McCarthy Debt Limit Agreement

House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) released the following statement on the Biden-McCarthy debt limit agreement:

“Republicans have held the global economy hostage and placed us on the brink of default and economic catastrophe. As a Member of Congress I have a responsibility to uphold the constitution and the rule of law. I would not allow a default. But this is a problematic agreement that protects billionaires from taxes and hurts middle class and working families. It also subverts the annual appropriations process, constrains only domestic investments, and sets us on a dangerous path. I will vote no.

“The Biden-McCarthy agreement resurrects Budget Control Act caps, or cuts, for two years. It increases defense spending by $28 billion while cutting resources for American families by at least $1 billion. Further, it forces domestic investments to rely on budgetary gimmicks that will not only disappear in two years, but are not guaranteed in the bill, and instead are covered in a non-binding side agreement. Meanwhile, the Pentagon will not be forced to rely on a single gimmick. The result is two years of painful caps followed by a 2026 budget process that thoroughly erodes domestic investments, creating a budget cliff Republicans will assuredly exploit to inflict harm upon working families. I can live with a painful compromise, but I cannot accept one so lopsided.

“While I am opposed to the agreement, it is a vast improvement over the House Republican Default on America Act. Speaker McCarthy announced in January a plan that would take 300,000 children out of child care and Head Start, take over 1,000 law enforcement officers off the street, and rescind more than $2 billion for veterans health care and benefits. House Appropriations Committee Democrats led the fight to highlight the consequence of the Republican plan on hardworking Americans, and it is because of these efforts that Republicans will not be able to implement sweeping reductions in 2024 and 2025. I am also pleased the agreement fully funds the promise made in the PACT Act to protect veterans exposed to Agent Orange, burn pits, and other toxic substances. Just one week ago, Republicans were forced to cancel committee consideration of a spending bill that would have cut these resources by nearly 75 percent. Democrats should be proud that while Republicans took hostages and weakened our world standing, we fought for our values and fended off the brunt of Republican cuts.”