Like Senator Obama in 2006, Griffin Opposes Increasing Debt Limit without Reform

Press Release

Congressman Tim Griffin (AR-02) issued the following statement after House passage of the Temporary Debt Limit Extension Act (S. 540):

"As then-Senator Barack Obama said in 2006 when he voted against raising the debt ceiling, "Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.' Unfortunately, President Obama is currently unwilling to spend within our country's means or work with Republicans to find long-term solutions--but I'm still hopeful he will have another change of heart."

When President George W. Bush left office in 2009, the national debt totaled $10.6 trillion after an increase of $4.9 trillion in eight years. President Barack Obama called it "irresponsible" and "unpatriotic," but during his five years in office the national debt has increased $6.7 trillion to $17.3 trillion--or more than $55,100 for each man, woman and child in the country.

On March 16, 2006, then-Senator Obama said: "The more we depend on foreign nations to lend us money, the more our economic security is tied to the whims of foreign leaders…. Increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and internationally."

On July 3, 2008, then-Senator Obama said: "To take out a credit card from the bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt…. It's irresponsible. It's unpatriotic."

On April 19, 2011, President Obama said: "If we keep on spending more than we take in, it's going to cause serious damage to our economy."

S. 540 would avoid the threat of default by temporarily suspending the debt limit through March 15, 2015, and continuing to allow Treasury Secretary Jack Lew to use "extraordinary measures" to manage America's burden of debt.

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