On the recordMay 31, 2011
I would like to thank the gentlelady from Alabama for giving me the opportunity to speak here tonight. As a small businessman and a new Member of Congress, I believe that the people did not send us here to raise the debt limit without a clear path to fix this huge mess that we have. It's an honor to represent the people of the 17th District in Illinois. It's with great honor, of course, that even greater expectations come. Future generations are depending upon us to get it right. You know, they didn't send us here to bury our heads in the sand and continue this path that we have been going on. As one of the new 87 freshmen who was sent here to deliver a message from America that enough is enough, when it comes to the failed policies of the past, I will continue to persuade my colleagues that we must get this under control. We reached the statutory debt limit on May 16 of 2011. Secretary Geithner has said we have enough borrowing to get us through August 2 of 2011. After that, if the debt ceiling is not raised, then America will default on its obligations. Secretary Geithner has said that it would be insane not to raise the debt limit. I believe the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. The debt limit has been raised 51 times since 1978. Today we are facing a crushing debt of more than $14 trillion. The insanity must stop here.
