See below for statements by President Joe Biden, as well as Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, on U.S. Senate passage of the debt ceiling bill (“The Fiscal Responsibility Act”) late last night, as well as their rejection (by a 30-69 vote) of Sen. Kaine’s amendment to strip out language by Sen. Joe Manchin which rams the dirty, destructive Mountain Valley Pipeline boondoggle to completion. As Sen. Warner put it: while Congress “fulfilled a basic responsibility by raising the debt ceiling and avoiding an economic meltdown with catastrophic consequences for individuals and the global economy alike…this deal is not perfect,” including “the inclusion of language pertaining to the Mountain Valley Pipeline, and I believe Congress missed an important opportunity to lower the national debt when they refused to look at revenues and make our tax system a little bit fairer.”
Well said. I’d just add that in addition to the fracked-gas pipeline itself being a mistake for environmental and economic reasons, the way Manchin wrote his legislation is dangerous from the perspective of the rule of law, separation of powers, judicial independence/integrity, etc. In sum, it’s a huge mistake on multiple levels, so thanks to Sen. Kaine for working to kill that part of the deal, and to Sen. Warner for supporting Sen. Kaine’s amendment.
Tonight, Senators from both parties voted to protect the hard-earned economic progress we have made and prevent a first-ever default by the United States. Together, they demonstrated once more that America is a nation that pays its bills and meets its obligations—and always will be. I want to thank Leader Schumer and Leader McConnell for quickly passing the bill.
No one gets everything they want in a negotiation, but make no mistake: this bipartisan agreement is a big win for our economy and the American people.
It protects the core pillars of my Investing in America agenda that is creating good jobs across the country, fueling a resurgence in manufacturing, rebuilding our infrastructure, and advancing clean energy. It safeguards peoples’ health care and retirement security, protecting bedrock programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. It protects vital investments in hardworking families that help make our country strong—from child care and education, to public safety and Meals on Wheels. It protects my student debt relief plan for hardworking borrowers. And it honors America’s sacred obligation to our veterans by fully funding veterans’ medical care.
Our work is far from finished, but this agreement is a critical step forward, and a reminder of what’s possible when we act in the best interests of our country. I look forward to signing this bill into law as soon as possible and addressing the American people directly tomorrow.
STATEMENT OF U.S. SEN. MARK R. WARNER
~ On passage of legislation to raise the debt ceiling ~
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement after voting to raise the debt ceiling:
“Today, we fulfilled a basic responsibility by raising the debt ceiling and avoiding an economic meltdown with catastrophic consequences for individuals and the global economy alike. However, this deal is not perfect. I am disappointed by the inclusion of language pertaining to the Mountain Valley Pipeline, and I believe Congress missed an important opportunity to lower the national debt when they refused to look at revenues and make our tax system a little bit fairer. At the end of the day, I voted in favor of this bill because raising the debt ceiling is the right thing to do for our country and for the millions of Americans who are trying to get out of debt, purchase a home, save for retirement, and so much more.”
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