[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 88 (Wednesday, May 24, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H2561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        DEFAULT IS NOT AN OPTION

  (Mrs. McCLELLAN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. McCLELLAN. Mr. Speaker, our Nation is just 8 days away from a 
potential debt default, while House Republicans continue to hold the 
American economy hostage.
  As one of less than 7 percent of the Members of Congress who have 
children under the age of 18, I am particularly concerned about the 
impact that a default would have on our children, as Federal funding 
for crucial government programs that impact them runs out.
  In the Commonwealth of Virginia, 1 in 12 rely on SNAP benefits to put 
food on the table, and a default would jeopardize those payments, as 
well as access to free and reduced lunch programs.
  Default is not an option, but the Republicans' extreme ransom note is 
not a viable alternative, either. It would slash funding for our school 
systems and leave 200,000 children without access to Head Start slots 
and 100,000 without access to childcare programs.
  In the Commonwealth, almost 6,000 children would be impacted. This 
would severely undermine our children's education and make it more 
difficult for parents to join the workforce and contribute to our 
economy.
  We must raise the debt ceiling now.

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