WASHINGTON – Congressman Tim Griffin (AR-02) issued the following statement regarding his ongoing effort to end the government shutdown and protect America’s credit rating:
“Most of the time, my colleagues and I in the House are concerned about Senate Democrats blocking nearly everything we pass, but, after the House failed yesterday to reach consensus on the kind of commonsense solution I preferred, I have to be realistic: the Senate’s proposal is not the bill I would write, but it is the only viable path forward. At the end of the day, no speech changes the number of votes in the House or the Senate.
“I support the Senate’s bipartisan bill to end the shutdown and protect our country’s credit rating. I’ve said from the beginning that shutting down the government is terrible policy, and risking the full faith and credit of the United States will do nothing to help dig our children out from under the massive burden of debt that is crushing their future. My focus has always been on working with anyone who is willing to find a real, long-term solution to Washington’s spending addiction, and this short-term bill is a responsible—but definitely imperfect—step toward that goal.”
Yesterday, Fitch Ratings placed the U.S. government’s “AAA” credit rating on Rating Watch Negative, citing the risk of “undermining confidence in the role of the U.S. dollar as the preeminent global reserve currency, by casting doubt over the full faith and credit of the U.S.”
The bipartisan Senate bill would fund the government through January 15, 2014, at spending levels set by the 2011 Budget Control Act, increase the debt limit through February 7, 2014, convene a budget conference committee to produce an agreement by December 13, 2013, and stop potential subsidy fraud in Obamacare by ensuring proper enforcement of the law’s income verification requirements that President Obama unilaterally waived in July.
