On Wednesday, Arizona Republican Congressmen Juan Ciscomani and David Schweikert joins Democrats Ruben Gallego and Greg Stanton to pass the debt ceiling agreement negotiated between President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Reps. Debbie Lesko, Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar, Raul Grijalva and Eli Crane voted against the bill that suspends the debt limit with no cap through January 1, 2025.
Schweikert justified his vote, saying it was the best deal Republicans could get.
“The United States already borrows 24 cents out of every dollar it spends,” said Schweikert in a press release. “Yet, here we are again raising the debt limit to keep the borrowing going. We cannot default on the sovereign debt of the United States, so today I reluctantly voted to increase the debt ceiling to avoid economic calamity that will only hurt the American public.”
“While there are some accomplishments in this bill,” claimed Schweikert, “including House Republicans passing the largest deficit reduction in American history, there is still much more work to be done to restore our nation’s fiscal health. This admittedly imperfect legislation begins the process of solving Washington’s unsustainable spending problems.”
Ciscomani said before voting yes in a tweet, that he met with “a number of groups in #AZ06 on my decision to support the debt ceiling legislation, including my Advisory Council and leaders in our chambers of commerce.”
“Although I appreciate the hard work put into negotiating a debt ceiling deal with the president, I cannot in good conscience vote for the current version of the debt ceiling bill. I am concerned that the bill allows unlimited borrowing with no debt ceiling cap through January 1, 2025, that the IRS will still have $70.6 billon to hire IRS agents, and that able-bodied adults who are experiencing homelessness are now exempted from work, job training, or drug rehabilitation requirements to receive SNAP benefits. Instead of advancing a system that makes people reliant on government programs that were designed for temporary assistance, we need to help those experiencing homelessness prepare for work and find jobs so they can get off of the streets permanently,” tweeted Lesko.
Although I appreciate the hard work put into negotiating a debt ceiling deal with the president, I cannot in good conscience vote for the current version of the debt ceiling bill. I am concerned that the bill allows unlimited borrowing with no debt ceiling cap through January 1,… pic.twitter.com/OXTATwn6H9
— Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (@RepDLesko) May 31, 2023
Prior to the vote, Biggs tweeted, “Tonight, I am voting against the McCarthy-Biden spending monstrosity. For once, Speaker McCarthy had significant leverage over these negotiations and yet he capitulated on nearly every front.”
“The botched negotiations with the Biden White House mean that the DC Uniparty will continue to spend negligently without committing to any meaningful spending reforms. The McCarty-Biden plan continues massive deficit spending that will lead to an unsustainable, indefensible growth in our national debt.”
“The American people should not be fooled by the Uniparty’s misleading talking points propping up this bill. Broken down, ‘Largest deficit reduction’ is still massive deficit spending,” continued Biggs. “And “significant wins’ is still massive deficit spending.”
“Tonight, the DC Uniparty is taking a victory lap as they squeezed their radical wish list out of Speaker McCarthy. Americans got hosed while the DC Uniparty won,” concluded Biggs.
Tonight, I am voting against the McCarthy-Biden spending monstrosity.
For once, Speaker McCarthy had significant leverage over these negotiations and yet he capitulated on nearly every front.
My official statement below: pic.twitter.com/ujxaAIUcPp
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) June 1, 2023