“From the beginning of the debate over the debt ceiling, I said that both parties needed to come together to avoid a devastating default and responsibly reduce the deficit while preserving essential investments for the middle class,” Rep. Lipinski said. “The final, bipartisan compromise that passed Congress in August met these requirements. It avoided a default, ensured a minimum of $2.1 trillion in deficit reduction, and charged the so-called supercommittee with providing further deficit reduction. I voted for it on that basis. Unfortunately, in the end, the supercommittee failed to reach an agreement and dissolved amid partisanship and finger-pointing. That failure represented a missed opportunity of historic proportions. It is one reason why the public is disgusted with Washington. I share that disgust. Bipartisan cooperation is indispensible to getting things done for the good of our country. Without it, we will only suffer more gridlock. Today’s vote was largely symbolic because we know this measure almost certainly will not pass the Senate, and even if it did, the President would veto it. But Washington should listen closely to what the American people are saying. They want to see both parties put aside their differences and act in the best interest of the country. That is why I signed the bipartisan letter, along with 100 of my House colleagues, calling for the $4 trillion in deficit reduction that experts agree we need for a strong economy. It’s time to stop the bickering and the symbolic votes and get down to the real work of cutting the deficit and promoting job creation.”

(January 18, 2012)

####