[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12023]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              THE CLOCK IS TICKING ON AMERICA'S DEBT LIMIT

  (Mr. BUTTERFIELD asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, the clock is ticking, and we must act 
now on increasing our debt limit. The American people must understand 
that increasing the debt limit will enable us to meet obligations that 
have been incurred by Democratic and Republican Congresses in years 
past. Defaulting on these obligations will not only wreak havoc on the 
American people; it will weaken our overall economy.
  The Republicans have been given opportunity after opportunity to help 
craft an acceptable, long-term debt reduction plan that would include a 
debt limit increase, but Republicans have slow-walked us to the brink 
of collapse.
  The Republican plan is to imperil Medicare and Medicaid. Republicans 
want to balance the budget by forcing the government away from 
government-sponsored Medicare and provide vouchers so seniors can 
purchase coverage from private insurance companies. Republicans want to 
shift the Medicaid responsibility to States that are already struggling 
to balance their budgets. Republican budget cuts will force doctors, 
hospitals and other health care providers to leave the Medicaid program 
entirely.
  The Republican strategy has been evolving for a long time, and now it 
is revealed. Shame on you. Shame on the Republican majority.

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