Debt Ceiling Crisis

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my Republican colleagues to step up to the plate, come back to work, and pay our Nation's bills.

Defaulting on our debt would be catastrophic. In my district alone, this will kill some 6,700 jobs, jeopardize Social Security payments for 91,000 families, put health benefits at risk for 388,000 people, and threaten the retirement savings of 99,100 people near retirement. This is in my district alone.

Look around. House Republicans went home and dodged their responsibilities, hurting everyday working people in the process. I stand firmly united with my Democratic colleagues and the American people to pay our debt without playing games with people's lives.

I urge the Republicans to put on their big boy pants and big girl pants and come back to work. Do the right thing. Do the right thing for the American people because the American people deserve better.

Let's do our jobs.

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