On the recordSeptember 30, 2021
I thank my colleague. Mr. President, so a few moments ago, the Senate voted to proceed to go into the House message on the debt ceiling suspension until December of 2022. For the information of all, this vote will only require a majority threshold and is a necessary procedural step before cloture can be filed on the House-passed legislation. Now, despite Republicans' twisted logic for wanting the debt limit to be addressed while actively blocking that from happening, the basic facts have not changed. The debt must be addressed; it will be addressed; and America cannot default. We Democrats are not asking Republicans to vote with us. If they want to vote to stop checks from going to veterans and payments to Social Security recipients, they can do so. But what we are saying is simply the Republicans ought to get out of the way so Democrats can suspend the debt limit. That is what Republicans have asked for. Leader McConnell talked about that idea repeatedly on the floor over the last several weeks, and it is the best way to avoid financial catastrophe without endangering the American people. ____________________





