WASHINGTON—Today, Heritage President Kevin Roberts and Heritage Action Executive Director Jessica Anderson released a joint statement concerning Biden’s demands for a “clean” debt ceiling increase with “no conditions”:  

“Having pushed the national debt north of $31 trillion, President Biden is now demanding a debt limit increase to take more hard-earned dollars from each American family and fan the flames of inflation. Worse, the federal budget has spun so far out of control that most federal agencies no longer address the needs of the American people. And while the national debt is a truly bipartisan issue that demands a bipartisan approach, the budget has become a safe haven for woke, leftist initiatives like Green New Deal subsidies and DEI training for all.  

 

“The American people insist that Congress roll back the Left’s partisan programmatic funding and get our fiscal house in order. The debt limit is an indispensable tool to protect the American people from tyrannical abuses of the federal government. Congress can accomplish this by capping spending at fiscal year 2022 levels and instituting programmatic cuts, reforms, and pro-growth policies that offset the increase in the debt ceiling. These policies could include regulatory reforms, rescissions of unspent COVID funds, reforms to the civil service, permitting reform, and others. During this process, conservatives should reject reckless proposals to eliminate or suspend the debt limit, and ensure any increase is a transparent dollar amount. 

 

“Common sense members of Congress should oppose and call out the weaponization of the budget and demand that any debt ceiling increase is fully offset by serious spending and pro-growth reforms. Negotiations must be led with accountability and transparency on behalf of the American people. Giving in to President Biden’s demands for a clean debt ceiling increase with ‘no conditions’ is reckless, will increase economic peril for all Americans, and will help the Left continue to dismantle our traditional values. 

 

“These are the conditions necessary for the American people to trust that Washington is prioritizing our country’s future ahead of a political agenda.”