[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 72 (Friday, April 28, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E377-E378]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  OPPOSING THE DEFAULT ON AMERICA ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JILL N. TOKUDA

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 28, 2023

  Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I proudly cast my vote against 
the Default on America Act. This reckless debt limit proposal would 
force Americans to suffer pandemic-level pain once again due to brutal 
cuts put forth by House Republicans. If we thought the COVlD-19 
pandemic was bad--impacts on life, learning, health, and economic 
security--the ``virus'' being unleashed on our country by this Act has 
potentially more dire and devastating consequences.
  But there is a way forward on this issue. Pass a clean debt limit 
increase. To blatantly ignore Treasury Secretary Yellen's stark 
warnings of default back in January and three months later celebrate 
the passage of a bill that seeks to buy us less than a year's reprieve 
on the backs of hardworking American families, children, kupuna, and 
veterans is offensive and unacceptable.
  I gave my inaugural floor speech on January 25th on the debt limit 
and urged House Republicans to join us in making good on our 
commitments to millions of Americans who've worked hard, sacrificed, 
and defended this country by passing a clean debt limit increase. 
People, families, and entire communities that rely on social security, 
Medicare, and other critical federal programs--they were looking to us 
to do the right thing.
  Like my constituent from Hilo, who called every day during my first 
weeks in office, scared that after a lifetime of work, he'd lose the 
social security check he relied upon each month.
  It is now April 27th, and more than 100 days after the warnings from 
the Treasury, the Republican Majority is only now looking to come to 
the table on this looming default crisis, which could come as soon as 
June.
  Instead of cleanly raising the debt ceiling as Congressional 
Republicans did without preconditions on three separate occasions under 
President Trump, Speaker McCarthy is doubling down on holding the full 
faith and credit of the United States hostage and risking economic 
chaos and catastrophe to force draconian cuts that will endanger public 
safety and worsen public health, raise costs for families and students, 
and harm seniors and veterans.
  Instead of seriously coming to negotiate, House Republicans are 
willing to level pandemic-level pain and suffering on everyday 
Americans in every community in this country.
  The legislation introduced by the Speaker would lead to across-the-
board cuts of at least $142 billion for critical programs. This could 
lead to the Veterans Health Administration providing 13 million fewer 
visits and veterans would have to wait longer to receive benefits. 
200,000 children could lose access to Head Start slots and 100,000 
children could lose access to childcare. Services such as Meals on 
Wheels could be cut for more than 1 million seniors, while over 1 
million participants could drop from the Special Supplemental Nutrition 
Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
  In Hawaii, these devastating cuts would be felt immediately by some 
of our most vulnerable residents. 43,000 Hawaii residents would lose 
food assistance.
  In a State where 1 in 10 people are veterans who have served and 
sacrificed, there would be 38,000 fewer veteran outpatient visits. 
College would be more expensive and out of reach for 15,000 Hawaii 
students. Over 3,000 families in Hawaii would lose rental assistance 
and be at severe risk for or resulting in homelessness. We'd lose 1,000 
Preschool and Child Care Slots in Hawaii, where we are already short 
tens of thousands of seats. At least four air traffic control towers in 
Hawaii would be shut down, which would prevent my constituents from 
getting to work or accessing basic services like healthcare, leaving 
our islands less connected.
  And if Republicans don't get their way, they're threatening to 
default on our Nation's bills, unleashing an economic catastrophe and 
putting vital government services at risk. Nationwide, a default could 
kill more than seven million jobs, jeopardize Social Security payments 
for 94,000 families in my district, and put health benefits at risk for 
297,000 veterans, kupuna, and keiki in Hawaii's Second Congressional 
District.
  It's important to remember that the debt limit reflects the spending 
and revenue decisions debated and enacted in prior years by prior 
Congresses. It's about paying our nation's credit card bill, not making 
additional purchases on it.
  The full extent of negative repercussions is unknown because the 
United States has never defaulted on its obligations. Economists expect 
the fallout to be widespread and catastrophic for the U.S. and global 
economy.
  Congressional Republicans need to stop playing political games with 
our debt limit for a partisan political wish list and cleanly raise the 
debt limit.
  Congress should focus on investing in our Nation and its people. We 
should be focused on decreasing child poverty and hunger, helping our 
kupuna on Social Security and Medicare, and increasing veteran access 
to services. This bill does the opposite.
  My Republican colleagues may claim this proposal was the first step 
towards negotiating with President Biden. But the chips they were 
willing to gamble in this mockery of a proposal should be a warning to 
us all about where their priorities lie. It's not with everyday 
Americans or neighborhoods and communities throughout our country.
  With their Default on America Act, House Republicans have shown us 
the moral bankruptcy of their MAGA ideology and their willingness to 
abandon the very people they were elected to represent.
  Democrat or Republican, Blue, red, purple, and everything in 
between--we have the opportunity to put people above politics and not 
gamble with their lives and livelihood. We have less than 60 days until 
default. America is waiting for us to do the right thing and pass a 
clean debt limit increase now.

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