[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 23]
[House]
[Page 31716]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              DEBT CEILING

  (Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Madam Speaker, it is a darn good 
thing that the credit reporting agencies don't factor in each 
American's share of the national debt when they calculate an 
individual's credit scores. If the agencies did, there would be quite a 
few otherwise-eligible borrowers who couldn't get a mortgage or a car 
loan.
  Think about that. I wonder why they don't include the national debt? 
Perhaps it's because no one seems to think it's real. Madam Speaker, it 
is real.
  Last year, America spent $250 billion in interest payments alone, 
$250 billion. That's $250 billion a year we cannot invest in America's 
future. Yet, in spite of this situation, Congress is preparing to 
increase the debt again by another $1.8 trillion. Attaching it to a 
must-pass Defense bill holds our troops hostage. And it might be 
convenient politics, but our country deserves much better.
  Congress should use the TARP returns to pay down the debt and 
redirect the failed stimulus money to tax reforms that actually work. 
Wouldn't that be unique?

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