Charles W. Stenholm: “at the very time negotiators are putting the final touches on a tax cut that will add several hundred billion dollars to…”

“at the very time negotiators are putting the final touches on a tax cut that will add several hundred billion dollars to our national debt, the leadership in Congress is planning on slipping through the largest increase in the debt limits in the history of our country, without any debate up or down. We are about to engage in brinksmanship with the full faith and credit of the United States Government by adjourning before Congress completes action on the debt limit, in order to force the other body to approve the largest debt limit in history. We are going to cut and run. Mr. Speaker, I am willing to support a temporary increase in the debt limit. In a few moments I will offer a unanimous consent request to approve legislation providing for an increase in the debt limit through the end of the current fiscal year, with the requirement that the President submit a plan to bring our budget back into balance. This will allow us the time to consider a long-term larger increase with the deliberation the serious matter deserves.”