[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 89 (Thursday, May 25, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H2619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          DEBT CEILING CRISIS

  (Mr. RASKIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. RASKIN. Madam Speaker, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. 
Constitution says that the validity of the public debt shall not be 
questioned.
  We made a commitment to every Social Security recipient in America, 
to Medicare and Medicaid recipients, to the veterans, to the 
bondholders of the United States, that we would pay our debts, as we 
are fiscally, morally, politically, and constitutionally required to 
do.
  Yet, Donald Trump has issued the order. He said it is inevitable, 
default on the debt of the United States for the first time in American 
history, crash the economy, lose 9 or 10 million jobs.
  Now, in the words of Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, who appears 
not to be here right now: The GOP will not negotiate with their 
hostage.
  Who is the hostage?
  The American people are the hostage. Our government is hostage. The 
Constitution is hostage.
  I introduce to the MAGA Republicans who have split today, but who 
increased the debt ceiling three times under Donald Trump, who gave us 
a quarter of all the debt of the United States between George 
Washington and Joe Biden, I introduce them to the Constitution of the 
United States: The validity of the public debt shall not be questioned.

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