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House Democrats' Letter to Daschle on GOP 'Gimmick' to Increase Debt Limit

MAY 21, 2002

House Democrats' Letter to Daschle on GOP 'Gimmick' to Increase Debt Limit

DATED MAY 21, 2002
DOCUMENT ATTRIBUTES
  • Authors
    Gephardt, Rep. Richard A.
  • Institutional Authors
    House of Representatives
  • Subject Area/Tax Topics
  • Jurisdictions
  • Language
    English
  • Tax Analysts Document Number
    Doc 2002-12926 (4 original pages)
  • Tax Analysts Electronic Citation
    2002 TNT 104-21

 

NEWS FROM THE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER

 

 

May 28, 2002

 

 

[1] The following is a letter sent and signed by 209 House Democrats and one Independent to Senate Majority Leader, Tom Daschle. The letter calls attention to House Republican efforts to hide an increase in the debt limit in the supplemental appropriations bill that was passed last week. House Democrats urge the Senate Majority Leader to consider an increase in the debt limit only as part of free-standing legislation that is subject to full and open debate with an opportunity for all to express their views and offer amendments. Further, they renew their call to Republicans to work with Democrats to create a new budget plan that protects Social Security, brings the budget into balance and addresses the other problems caused by the Republican tax cut that was passed last year.
May 21, 2002

 

Honorable Tom Daschle

 

Majority Leader

 

United States Senate

 

Washington, DC 20510

 

 

Dear Mr. Leader,

[2] We know that you share our concern about the way House Republicans have handled increasing the debt limit, and agree that it should be considered as free- standing legislation that is subject to a full and open debate with the opportunity for all to express their views and offer amendments. We appreciate your efforts to maintain an open process for debate and your commitment to return our budget to balance as soon as possible.

[3] We are writing today to urge that you insist that language providing any increase in the statutory limit on the public debt be omitted from a conference report on H.R. 4775, the supplemental appropriations bill.

[4] The House Republican leadership has abrogated its responsibility to hold hearings and allow a full debate on the matter, but has instead resorted to a parliamentary gimmick. Further, the language inserted into this bill by the rule is a vague statement of intention, not the statutory language required to enact an increase. When Democrats learned that the Republican leadership was going to add the issue of a debt limit increase to the supplemental appropriations bill, Representatives Dennis Moore, John Spratt, Charlie Stenholm and others sought to have an amendment made in order which would put us back on track toward a sound fiscal plan that would fully protect Social Security and responsibly deal with the need to increase the national debt limit.

[5] And yet the Republican Leadership denied Democrats' request to make in order the Democratic approach to tying an increase in the debt limit to a plan to protect and strengthen Social Security.

[6] Indeed, House Republicans have shirked their responsibility to "uphold the full faith and credit of the United States," as well as avoided their responsibility for the budget deficits that make an increase in the debt limit necessary now. What the country needs now is the assurance that its political leaders are working together to craft a plan to restore fiscal discipline and balance the budget within the next five years, not a stealth increase in the debt limit that has not been voted on by either the House or Senate.

[7] Without a new economic and budget plan that is the product of bipartisan discussions between the Congress and the President, the American people will be faced with the prospect of continued budget deficits and continuing political disagreements that will harm confidence in the financial markets, increase interest rates and damage the economic recovery just as it is beginning. As you know, the deficits caused by the Republican tax cut pose a threat to the future of Social Security. This is not just a debate about this year's budget, but a debate with consequences for millions of senior citizens and their children who depend on Social Security.

[8] We hope that you will not accommodate the attempt by the House Republican majority to hide an increase in an important supplemental appropriations bill needed for the war on terrorism and strengthening homeland security. We trust that you will join us in insisting that adoption of any debt limit increase must be combined with a new bipartisan budget and economic plan.

Sincerely,

 

 

Abercrombie, Neil(HI)

 

Acevedo-Vili, Anibal(PR)

 

Ackerman, Gary L.(NY)

 

Allen, Thomas H.(ME)

 

Andrews, Robert E.(NJ)

 

Baca, Joe(CA)

 

Baird, Brian(WA)

 

Baldacci, John Elias(ME)

 

Baldwin, Tammy(WI)

 

Barcia, James A.(MI)

 

Barrett, Thomas M.(WI)

 

Becerra, Xavier(CA)

 

Bentsen, Ken(TX)

 

Berkley, Shelley(NV)

 

Berman, Howard L.(CA)

 

Berry, Marion(AR)

 

Bishop, Sanford D., Jr.(GA)

 

Blagojevich, Rod R.(IL)

 

Blumenauer, Earl(OR)

 

Bonior, David E.(MI)

 

Green, Gene(TX)

 

Gutierrez, Luis V.(IL)

 

Hall, Ralph M.(TX)

 

Hall, Tony P. (OH)

 

Harman, Jane(CA)

 

Hastings, Alcee L.(FL)

 

Hill, Baron P.(IN)

 

Hilliard, Earl F.(AL)

 

Hinchey, Maurice D.(NY)

 

Hinojosa, Ruben(TX)

 

Hoeffel, Joseph M.(PA)

 

Holden, Tim(PA)

 

Holt, Rush D.(NJ)

 

Honda, Michael M.(CA)

 

Hooley, Darlene(OR)

 

Hoyer, Steny H.(MD)

 

Inslee, Jay(WA)

 

Israel, Steve(NY)

 

Jackson, Jesse L., Jr.(IL)

 

Jackson-Lee, Sheila(TX)

 

Murtha, John P.(PA)

 

Nadler, Jerrold(NY)

 

Napolitano, Grace F.(CA)

 

Neal, Richard E.(MA)

 

Oberstar, James L.(MN)

 

Obey, David R.(WI)

 

Olver, John W.(MA)

 

Ortiz, Solomon P.(TX)

 

Owens, Major R.(NY)

 

Pallone, Frank, Jr.(NJ)

 

Pascrell, Bill, Jr.(NJ)

 

Pastor, Ed(AZ)

 

Payne, Donald M.(NJ)

 

Pelosi, Nancy(CA)

 

Peterson, Collin C.(MN)

 

Phelps, David D.(IL)

 

Pomeroy, Earl(ND)

 

Price, David E.(NC)

 

Rahall, Nick J., II(WV)

 

Rangel, Charles B.(NY)

 

Borski, Robert A.(PA)

 

Boswell, Leonard L.(IA)

 

Boucher, Rick(VA)

 

Boyd, Allen(FL)

 

Brady, Robert A.(PA)

 

Brown, Corrine(FL)

 

Brown, Sherrod(OH)

 

Capps, Lois(CA)

 

Capuano, Michael E.(MA)

 

Cardin, Benjamin L.(MD)

 

Carson, Brad(OK)

 

Carson, Julia(IN)

 

Christensen, Donna M.(VI)

 

Clayton, Eva M.(NC)

 

Clay, Wm. Lacy(MO)

 

Clement, Bob(TN)

 

Clyburn, James E.(SC)

 

Conyers, John, Jr.(MI)

 

Costello, Jerry F.(IL)

 

Coyne, William J.(PA)

 

Cramer, Robert E. (Bud), Jr.(AL)

 

Crowley, Joseph(NY)

 

Cummings, Elijah E.(MD)

 

Davis, Danny K. (IL)

 

Davis, Jim(FL)

 

Davis, Susan A.(CA)

 

DeFazio, Peter A.(OR)

 

DeGette, Diana(CO)

 

Delahunt, William D.(MA)

 

DeLauro, Rosa L.(CT)

 

Deutsch, Peter(FL)

 

Dicks, Norman D.(WA)

 

Dingell, John D.(MI)

 

Doggett, Lloyd(TX)

 

Dooley, Calvin M.(CA)

 

Doyle, Michael F.(PA)

 

Edwards, Chet(TX)

 

Engel, Eliot L.(NY)

 

Eshoo, Anna G.(CA)

 

Etheridge, Bob(NC)

 

Evans, Lane(IL)

 

Farr, Sam(CA)

 

Fattah, Chaka(PA)

 

Filner, Bob(CA)

 

Ford, Harold E., Jr.(TN)

 

Frank, Barney(MA)

 

Jefferson, William J.(LA)

 

John, Christopher(LA)

 

Johnson, Eddie Bernice(TX)

 

Jones, Stephanie Tubbs(OH)

 

Kanjorski, Paul E.(PA)

 

Kaptur, Marcy(OH)

 

Kennedy, Patrick J.(RI)

 

Kildee, Dale E.(MI)

 

Kilpatrick, Carolyn C.(MI)

 

Kind, Ron(WI)

 

Kleczka, Gerald D.(WI)

 

Kucinich, Dennis J.(OH)

 

LaFalce, John J.(NY)

 

Lampson, Nick(TX)

 

Langevin, James R.(RI)

 

Lantos, Tom(CA)

 

Larsen, Rick(WA)

 

Larson, John B.(CT)

 

Lee, Barbara(CA)

 

Levin, Sander M.(MI)

 

Lewis, John(GA)

 

Lipinski, William O.(IL)

 

Lofgren, Zoe(CA)

 

Lowey, Nita M.(NY)

 

Lucas, Ken(KY)

 

Luther, Bill(MN)

 

Lynch, Stephen F.(MA)

 

Maloney, Carolyn B.(NY)

 

Maloney, James H.(CT)

 

Markey, Edward J.(MA)

 

Mascara, Frank(PA)

 

Matheson, Jim(UT)

 

Matsui, Robert T.(CA)

 

McCarthy, Carolyn(NY)

 

McCarthy, Karen(MO)

 

McCollum, Betty(MN)

 

McDermott, Jim(WA)

 

McGovern, James P.(MA)

 

McIntyre, Mike(NC)

 

McKinney, Cynthia A.(GA)

 

McNulty, Michael R.(NY)

 

Meehan, Martin T.(MA)

 

Meek, Carrie P.(FL)

 

Meeks, Gregory W.(NY)

 

Menendez, Robert(NJ)

 

Millender-McDonald, Juanita(CA)

 

Reyes, Silvestre(TX)

 

Rivers, Lynn N.(MI)

 

Rodriguez, Ciro D.(TX)

 

Roemer, Tim(IN)

 

Ross, Mike(AR)

 

Rothman, Steven R.(NJ)

 

Roybal-Allard, Lucille(CA)

 

Rush, Bobby L.(IL)

 

Sanchez, Loretta(CA)

 

Sandlin, Max(TX)

 

Sawyer, Tom(OH)

 

Schakowsky, Janice D.(IL)

 

Schiff, Adam B.(CA)

 

Scott, Robert C.(VA)

 

Serrano, Jose E.(NY)

 

Sherman, Brad(CA)

 

Shows, Ronnie(MS)

 

Skelton, Ike(MO)

 

Slaughter, Louise

 

Mclntosh(NY)

 

Smith, Adam(WA)

 

Snyder, Vic(AR)

 

Solis, Hilda L.(CA)

 

Spratt, John M., Jr.(SC)

 

Stark, Fortney Pete(CA)

 

Stenholm, Charles W.(TX)

 

Strickland, Ted(OH)

 

Stupak, Bart(MI)

 

Tanner, John S.(TN)

 

Tauscher, Ellen O.(CA)

 

Taylor, Gene(MS)

 

Thompson, Bennie G.(MS)

 

Thompson, Mike(CA)

 

Thurman, Karen L.(FL)

 

Tierney, John F.(MA)

 

Towns, Edolphus(NY)

 

Turner, Jim(TX)

 

Udall, Mark(CO)

 

Udall, Tom(NM)

 

Velazquez, Nydia M.(NY)

 

Visclosky, Peter J.(IN)

 

Waters, Maxine(CA)

 

Watson, Diane E. (CA)

 

Watt, Melvin L.(NC)

 

Waxman, Henry A.(CA)

 

Weiner, Anthony D.(NY)

 

Frost, martin K(TX)

 

Gephardt, Richard A.(MO)

 

Gonzalez, Charles A.(TX)

 

Gordon, Bart(TN)

 

Miller, George(CA)

 

Mink, Patsy T.(HI)

 

Mollohan, Alan B.(WV)

 

Moore, Dennis(KS)

 

Moran, James P.(VA)

 

Wexler, Robert(FL)

 

Woolsey, Lynn C.(CA)

 

Wu, David(OR)

 

Wynn, Albert Russell(MD)
DOCUMENT ATTRIBUTES
  • Authors
    Gephardt, Rep. Richard A.
  • Institutional Authors
    House of Representatives
  • Subject Area/Tax Topics
  • Jurisdictions
  • Language
    English
  • Tax Analysts Document Number
    Doc 2002-12926 (4 original pages)
  • Tax Analysts Electronic Citation
    2002 TNT 104-21
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