On the recordMay 9, 2013
Former Bush chief economic adviser Keith Hennessey--this is an economic adviser, not a spokesperson--said this: If the U.S. Government legally commits to paying someone a benefit or agrees to pay a firm for a good or a service, the U.S. Government should fulfill that agreement in a timely fashion. To do otherwise is taking the first step to becoming a banana republic. That's Hennessey, not Hoyer, not a Democrat. That's a Bush economic adviser. Madam Speaker, we should not be admitting defeat and ranking the losers as this bill would do. Instead of choosing to pay China or any other holder of our debt before we pay our troops--and we ought to pay them, and we ought to pay them on time, but that's not the issue. The issue is the United States of America, the most creditworthy Nation on Earth, ought to pay all its debt in a timely fashion--all--not prioritize--all--across the board. For our wounded veterans and for the seniors who have worked hard to build this country, we should be working to fix the problem by coming to a consensus on a big and balanced deal to reduce our deficit, including tax reform, which the chairman is so assiduously seeking. Playing politically motivated games with the creditworthiness of the United States will only risk another downgrade.
