Scott Slams House GOP’s Default on America Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) delivered the following remarks during the floor debate on House Republicans’ Default on America Act (H.R. 2811):

“Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

“I rise today to oppose the reckless Default on Our Debt Act. Unfortunately, those on the other side of the aisle have taken the full faith and credit of the United States hostage and has offered a terrible deal for the American people: either they’ll inflict cruel cuts to vital programs for working families or they’ll destroy the economy.

“Earlier this week, as has been pointed out, this plan has been evaluated and almost 800,000 jobs will be lost. And when they say ‘the cuts aren’t that bad’ well tell that to 200,000 children who will lose access to Head Start, 100,000 parents who will lose access to child care, the 26 million students who are in Title I schools who will get cuts in funding, or 6.6 million students who will lose money in Pell Grants, or the tens of millions who will lose the funding for the student debt relief that’s been promised.

“These spending cuts are necessary, frankly, to pay for the Republican tax cuts that weren’t paid for at the time. 80% of the Trump tax cuts were scheduled to go to the top 1% and corporations, and now they are going to pay for them with cuts to education, health care, veterans’ programs and others.

“I get tired of being lectured by the Republicans when it comes to fiscal responsibility, because we know that every Republican presidential administration since Nixon has left office with a worse deficit situation than they inherited. And every Democratic administration since Kennedy has left office with a better deficit situation than they inherited.

“So Democrats are ready to act to prevent a devastating economic default, just as we did three times under the Trump Administration with little fanfare. President Biden and Democrats have already significantly cut the deficit and we are willing to do more. But we want to do it in a way that is responsible and helps families. This bill hurts families and we need to oppose the bill. I yield back.”

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