“We Need to Reduce Our Spending and Borrowing.  No More Excuses.”

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference, issued the following statement today after the Treasury Department reported that America’s national debt had surpassed $13 trillion – an all-time record.

“The federal government is broke, and the time has come for tough choices.  We can no longer assume that government spending and borrowing are problems that will take care of themselves. The budget situation has changed, and Congress must change with it.  A good first step would be for the Majority to put forward a budget.  We can no longer afford to bring excessive spending bills to the floor without further damage to our children and grandchildren.”

Since President Obama took office, the national debt has soared by $2.4 trillion, and the debt continues to grow at a rate of $4.9 billion per day. That’s almost three times the daily average of $1.7 billion under the previous administration.  And according to President Obama’s own budget forecast, the federal government will add $9.8 trillion to the national debt over the next ten years.

Instead of dealing with this urgent problem, the Majority in Congress has taken the unprecedented action of refusing to pass a budget this year.

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer once called budgeting “the most basic responsibility of governing.” In 2006, Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt said, “If you can’t budget, you can’t govern.”  There is not expected to be a budget for Fiscal Year 2011.

“At a time when American families are reexamining their budget to cut spending and borrowing, it’s unacceptable that Congress refuses to do the same,” said Rep. McMorris Rodgers.  “Instead, Congress is adding to their debt burden – a burden that with yesterday’s milestone of $13 trillion, comes to $42,000 per person.”