WASHINGTON — As the clock ticks closer to the United States potentially defaulting on its bills, a group of Republican senators, including Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, renewed their calls to use the debt ceiling debate to reign in the country’s rising national debt.
During a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Johnson, as well as fellow Republicans Ted Cruz of Texas, Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Braun of Indiana, Mike Lee of Utah, and Dr. Rand Paul of Kentucky, called on their colleagues in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives to “stop the madness” and take a more active role in cutting spending.
Live now with @SenatorBraun @SenTedCruz @SenRonJohnson @SenRickScott for a press conference on the debt ceiling! https://t.co/Y9cWPO4YsU
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) January 25, 2023
The comments come after Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned earlier this month the U.S. would hit its debt limit on Jan. 19 and that “extraordinary measures” would have to be taken to prevent the country from default.
Cruz said Republicans in both chambers have to “use every lever point we have to stop the out of control spending that is driving inflation, that is punishing hard-working Americans across this country” and called the debt ceiling debate the most significant lever point Republicans have to force concessions.
For his part, Johnson said he would vote to increase the debt ceiling “if we attached to it certain fiscal controls.”
“We want to convey to our House colleagues that we respect what they’ve done, they’ve got a big task ahead of them, we want to do everything we can to support their efforts but also encourage them because a crucial aspect to what they need to do is they have to pass these things with Republican votes,” he said.
WATCH: What does the US hitting the debt ceiling mean for you?
Last Thursday, U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, a Wisconsin Democrat, accused Republicans of playing “MAGA Chicken” with the debt ceiling debate.
“We’ve already passed a budget,” he said. “Right now, we’re going to be starting the next budget, the president will give us probably in early March and since I sit on (the) Appropriations (Committee) that’s what I’ll be doing until Sept. 30, and that’s their opportunity, if that’s what they want to do, is they can put a budget together and then they can negotiate with the Senate, but to try to make us go back and change what you’ve already done, that doesn’t happen — even Donald Trump, I think, said that today — you don’t mess around with the debt ceiling unless you truly are on some sort of strange death wish.”
WHAT IS THE DEBT LIMIT? CLICK OR TAP HERE FOR MORE.
The debt limit, according to the U.S. Treasury, does not authorize new spending but instead allows the government to cover previous financial commitments.
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