Congressman Morgan McGarvey’s Statement on Vote to Avoid Defaulting on America’s Debt
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 31, 2023) – Today, Congressman Morgan McGarvey (KY-03) released the following statement after voting to avoid defaulting on America’s debt:
“Today, I voted to prevent a default on America’s debt and protect our families, children, and veterans from a devastating economic catastrophe,” said Rep. McGarvey. “We can’t let our country default on its debts. A default would jeopardize our economy, resulting in millions of lost jobs, cratering people’s retirement savings, and putting Social Security and Medicare payments in peril.
"This bill is not perfect. I wish we had simply raised the debt ceiling — like we’ve done so many times in the past, even in a divided Congress and under presidents of both parties. That’s why I joined fellow Progressives in imploring Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans not to weaponize the debt limit or use our economy as a bargaining chip. But Republicans refused and instead manufactured this crisis.
"These negotiations should not have been necessary. The end result, negotiated by President Biden and House Democrats, prevents a default and keeps out Republicans’ extreme proposals to gut social programs for seniors and children and our veterans’ earned benefits.
"I came to Congress to fight for my constituents while staying true to my values and working to get things done for our community. Today, I voted to protect Louisville and our country from certain economic disaster while doing everything I could to safeguard the programs that support our most vulnerable neighbors. I remain committed to working with my colleagues to fight for working Americans and ensure we solve problems instead of playing political games with people’s lives."
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Congressman Morgan McGarvey represents Kentucky’s Third Congressional District, including Louisville and Jefferson County. He serves on the House Veterans Affairs and House Small Business Committees.