Heinrich Votes For Reid's Debt Proposal: "A Necessary Compromise to Prevent a Disastrous Default"

Statement

U.S. Representative Martin Heinrich (NM-1) released the following statement today after voting for Senator Harry Reid's compromise debt proposal, the " The Bipartisan Budget Control Act of 2011" (H.R. 2693). The bill was defeated with no House Republican support.

"While it's not perfect, I voted for Senator Reid's proposal today because it's a necessary compromise to prevent a disastrous default by the federal government. I am not willing to allow New Mexicans to pay the high price of that outcome.

"Republicans in Congress have hijacked the very serious business of upholding the good faith and credit of our nation. It's long past the time for the House Republicans to stop gambling with the American economy just to satisfy their Tea Party political base.

"Two months ago, I voted for a bill that would have raised the debt ceiling without any partisan political theater and without taking our economy to the brink of disaster. I continue to believe that passing clean debt ceiling legislation--just as both Democrats and Republicans have done countless times for other presidents--would have avoided this manufactured crisis and allowed the Congress to have a meaningful debate about creating jobs, bringing down the deficit and protecting Social Security and Medicare."

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