Congressman Gerry Connolly said Saturday that he is not optimistic Congress will reach an agreement on a debt ceiling bill before the Tuesday deadline, and he warned that the American people and the world economy should prepare for a U.S. default.

Connolly placed blame for the looming economic disaster squarely at the feet of the House Republicans. “The rigid orthodoxy of the House Majority and their Tea Party masters has created an untenable situation,” he said.  “They are more interested in scoring political points than ensuring the stability of the U.S. economy and preserving the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.”

In a speech on the House floor Saturday afternoon, Connolly criticized the intransigence of the House Majority.  “As the debate on avoiding a destructive default has progressed over the past months, we’ve heard from many House Republicans that compromise is a dirty word.” But the voices we should be listening to are those of the American people.  What they’ve said has been loud and clear,” he said.

“It’s long past time we started listening to the American people and reach a compromise to avoid a national default,” he said.  “The clock is ticking and soon it will be too late to stop economic chaos.”

Statement of Congressman Gerald E. Connolly

11^th District of Virginia

July 30, 2011

Mr. Speaker, as the debate on avoiding a destructive default has progressed over the past months, we’ve heard from many House Republicans that compromise is a dirty word.

But the voices we should be listening to are those of the American people.  What they’ve said has been loud and clear.

According to the NBC / Wall Street Journal poll, 53 percent of independents and Republicans want Republicans leaders to compromise.

According to the ABC / Washington Post poll, 77 percent of Americans think the Republican leadership has not been willing enough to compromise.

According to the Quinnipiac University poll, 67 percent of Americans believe the debt ceiling compromise should be a balance between spending cuts and revenue.

According to the Gallup poll, 57 percent of Republicans want a compromise plan.

And according to the CBS News poll, 78 percent of Republicans would rather have an agreement they don’t fully support than allow the country to default.

Mr. Speaker, it’s long past time we started listening to the American people and reach a compromise to avoid a national default.