Charles W. Stenholm: “The effect of this motion would be to call on the House and the Senate to have a full and open debate and vote on…”

“The effect of this motion would be to call on the House and the Senate to have a full and open debate and vote on increasing the debt limit, instead of using the budget resolution to avoid a debate on increasing our Nation's debt limit. Under House rules, passage of the budget resolution conference report would deem that the House had passed separate legislation increasing the debt limit upon passage of the budget resolution, without a separate vote or opportunity for debate or amendments on the issue. Republicans were highly critical of this rule when the House of Representatives was under Democratic control and repealed it in 1997, but have revised it now that the national debt is growing at a record pace. As a result of the Hastert rule, passage of the budget resolution conference report in the House and Senate would automatically approve a $700 billion increase in the debt limit to increase our Nation's debt limit to more than $8 trillion, without a separate vote and at least discussion, which we at least will have tonight.”