Washington, D.C. – Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference, released the following statement today after voting for the Budget Control Act.

“The Budget Control Act takes a balanced approach to an urgent issue – preventing the United States from suffering a default.  This is the second time in a week the U.S. House has passed legislation to raise the debt ceiling while also making historic spending cuts.  The Senate has yet to pass a single bill.  And the only bills that have passed, the President has threatened to veto.  

“President Obama should realize that this bill ends the crisis and puts us on a long-term path towards continual budget savings and a winding down of our deficits.  The crisis atmosphere in Washington, manufactured by the Administration, should end now so Congress and the American people can return to work on the serious problems confronting our economy and our nation.

“We are running out of time and we are running out of money.  For the sake of our country, I encourage the President and the Senate Democrats to help us move forward.”

The Budget Control Act raises the debt ceiling by $900 billion in return for spending cuts totaling more than $917 billion over the next 10 years, including $22 billion in Fiscal Year 2012 – all without raising taxes.  An additional increase in the debt ceiling would be contingent on two things: First, passage of the spending reduction recommendations issued by a special twelve-member Commission that would be set up by the bill and charged with making additional cuts to the deficit that are greater than the requested increase in the debt ceiling.  Second, passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment by both Houses of Congress, sending it to the states.

“I’m excited that the House will have its first vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment since 1995,” said Rep. McMorris Rodgers.  “That’s the ‘game-changer’ we need to fundamentally change the way the federal government does business.”