Ayotte: Congress Must Retain Constitutional Authority Over Nation's Borrowing
Obama Administration Seeks Unilateral Power to Permanently Raise Debt Limit
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, signed a letter to President Obama highlighting the need for any deficit reduction deal to ensure that the people's elected representatives will continue to have a say over the nation's debt limit. The Obama Administration's initial offer in fiscal cliff negotiations would give the President unilateral power to raise the debt limit without any Congressional oversight. Forty-four senators signed the letter, which states that Congress's power over borrowing, like the power of the purse, is firmly rooted in America's Constitution.
"We agree that Washington must rein in the debt, which is one reason we strongly oppose your proposal to eliminate Congress's role in establishing a federal debt limit," the senators wrote. "Far from a simple procedural vote, the debt limit has provided Congress with an opportunity to rein in the expanding national debt."
The letter continues: "In short, nearly every significant deficit reduction law of the past 27 years has been linked to a debt limit debate. For Congress to surrender its control over the debt limit would be to permanently surrender what has long provided the best opportunity to enact bipartisan deficit reduction legislation."
Ayotte joined the following senators in signing the letter, a copy of which may be found here: Lamar Alexander (R-TN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Scott Brown (R-MA), Richard Burr (R-NC), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Daniel Coats (R-IN), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Susan Collins (R-ME), Bob Corker (R-TN), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), John Hoeven (R-ND), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), James Inhofe (R-OK), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Mike Lee (R-UT), John McCain (R-AZ), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Rand Paul (R-KY), Rob Portman (R-OH), James Risch (R-ID), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Richard Shelby (R-AL), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), John Thune (R-SD), Patrick Toomey (R-PA), David Vitter (R-LA), and Roger Wicker (R-MS).