Cárdenas Votes to Keep the Government Open, Deliver Emergency Relief, Prevent Catastrophic Default
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) voted to pass H.R. 5304, which would prevent a catastrophic default on the federal debt and ensure that the government can continue to deliver critical services to families that depend on them. This legislation would extend government funding, suspend the debt limit, provide emergency funding to uplift communities devastated by recent natural disasters and help resettle Afghan refugees.
“My vote to keep the government open was a commitment to working to meet the needs of families in my community and across the country,” said Congressman Cárdenas. “Families must continue to receive the services they depend on, those devastated by natural disasters require relief and Afghan evacuees fleeing danger need to be resettled. In addition to that, as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, our nation and the global economy cannot afford an unprecedented debt default. This legislation gives us the time and resources to address those needs. I am proud to have cast my vote and look forward to continuing our work to Build Back Better.”
This legislation would:
- Secure government funding for vital federal agencies through December 3 of this year. The funding would ensure the uninterrupted operations of essential government services including education, health, housing, and public safety programs, and will honor Congress’ responsibility to continuing to support our veterans.
- Deliver $28.6 billion in emergency funding to address natural disasters declared in 2021 and prior. This legislation would help work families, small businesses, and communities rebuild and recover, while repairing damage to federal facilities.
- Provide $6.3 billion in supplemental funding to support Afghan Refugees. The supplemental funding would temporarily house evacuees, provide necessary security screenings, and ultimately resettle evacuees in the United States. The legislation also includes funding to provide humanitarian assistance for Afghan refugees in neighboring countries.
- Suspend the debt ceiling through December 2022, so that the federal government can continue to meet the financial obligations it has already made, including Social Security, Medicare benefits, services for veterans, and to protect the full faith and credit of the United States.
Failure to raise or suspend the debt limit would be unprecedented and catastrophic. A default would jeopardize all U.S. government payments, including Social Security payments, and veterans’ benefits; hurt all American families by causing interest rates to go up; cause a nationwide recession; and, lastly, could begin a worldwide financial crisis because financial markets currently treat U.S. debt as the safest of assets.
Addressing the debt limit is a bipartisan responsibility. Since 2011, every time the debt limit has needed to be suspended or raised, Congress has acted on a bipartisan basis. During the last Presidency, when the debt rose by $7.8 trillion, Republicans and Democrats worked together to suspend the debt limit three times. Now, when only three percent of the current debt has accumulated under President Biden, Democrats believe that it remains a shared responsibility. The economic health and security of millions of hard-working Americans rely on it.
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