[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 87 (Tuesday, May 23, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H2534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       DEBT DEFAULT NOT AN OPTION

  (Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, defaulting on our debt is 
not an option and would only cause economic uncertainty for eastern 
North Carolina and rural America at a time when most are just trying to 
break even.
  According to recent reports, a default would kick nearly 96,000 
families across the First District off of food and health programs at a 
time when they can least afford it. It would also jeopardize benefits 
that support nearly 50,000 veterans in my district, causing delays in 
the delivery of care and poor health outcomes for our Nation's heroes.
  A default that lasts as little as 6 weeks would result in nearly 7 
million jobs lost, doubling the unemployment rate to 8 percent.
  Mr. Speaker, we must focus on keeping America's full faith and credit 
intact.

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