January 23, 2013

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement today following a House vote to pass a clean debt ceiling extension:

“I am pleased that Speaker Boehner and his House colleagues have decided to change course, and pass a bill that defuses yet another fight over the debt ceiling.

“This bill surrenders the hostage Republicans have taken in the past by decoupling the full faith and credit of the United States from cuts to Social Security and Medicare, or anything else.  In substance, this is a clean debt limit increase that will set the precedent for future debt ceiling extensions.  By passing this bill, Republicans are joining Democrats to say we will not hold the full faith and credit of the United States hostage, and we will pay our bills.

“Over the last two years, the bipartisan Budget Control Act set spending levels in place of a Congressional Budget.  As Senator Murray announced today, this year the Senate will return to regular order, and move a budget resolution through the Budget Committee and to the Senate floor. House Republicans had to add a gimmick or two to get their bill past the Tea Party. But to spare the middle class another knock-down, drag-out fight, the Senate will proceed to and seek to pass the House bill. We will seek an agreement with Republicans to bring the bill to the floor in the coming days.

“I want to give credit where credit is due, and thank Speaker Boehner for his leadership here in defusing another fight over the debt ceiling. The middle class has been telling us they do not want another crisis, and this bill gives them the security they deserve.”

###