ICYMI: U.S. Conference of Mayors Says House Debt Limit Proposal "Devastating"

Today, the U.S. Conference of Mayors denounced House Republicans' debt limit proposal as "devastating for the people who live in American cities," arguing "This is no time to manufacture a crisis. Congress has an obligation to pay its bills, and the House should increase the debt ceiling without threatening our economy."

The statement concludes: "The House needs to do its job and increase the debt limit without delay or drama."

Discussing how President Biden's agenda has helped rescue the American economy from crisis, they add: "We have made enormous progress to rebound from the pandemic, and this bill would wipe it away."

Speaker McCarthy's proposal is devastating for hardworking families—slashing programs they depend on even as House Republicans protect wealthy tax cheats and push tax giveaways for the wealthiest. This is a stark contrast with President Biden's Budget, which invests in America, lowers costs for hardworking families, and cuts the deficit by asking the super-wealthy and largest corporations to pay their fair share. House Republicans must avoid default and stop risking economic catastrophe in order to gut funding for small businesses, education, health care, and public safety.

Read the full statement below:

U.S. Conference of Mayors: Statement on House Debt Limit Plan

The following is a statement from Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of The United States Conference of Mayors, in response to the introduction of House legislation related to the federal debt limit.

"This is no time to manufacture a crisis. Congress has an obligation to pay its bills, and the House should increase the debt ceiling without threatening our economy. The legislation introduced in the House is wrong on the issues that face our nation and would be devastating for the people who live in American cities. The country needs a clean debt limit bill.

"We have made enormous progress to rebound from the pandemic, and this bill would wipe it away. The resources made available to cities from the American Rescue Plan Act have helped keep police and first responders on the job, protected small businesses, put food on the table and roofs over the head of people in need, and allowed investment in critical infrastructure. In repealing Inflation Reduction Act funding, the bill also represents an abdication of responsibility to address the climate crisis.

"American mayors will not allow us to go backward, and we urge lawmakers to reject this plan. The House needs to do its job and increase the debt limit without delay or drama."