Votes Against Debt Limit Increase that Fails to Cut Spending

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement this afternoon following her votes to restore COLA payments to retired veterans and against an increase to the nation's debt limit:

"Our veterans have made countless sacrifices on behalf of our freedom, and today I was proud to vote in favor of restoring their full retirement benefits through the scheduled Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA). Simply put, this bill restores COLA benefits without adding more pain to our military. Our government has a serious spending problem, but this should not be placed on the backs of our nation's heroes: the men and women of our armed forces."

"We need to get our priorities straight and make common-sense decisions that will bring about meaningful reforms. Today's vote on a bill to raise the debt limit without any fiscally-responsible alternatives fails on numerous accounts, which is why I voted against it. Absent meaningful reforms, raising our debt limit to pay for out-of-control past spending will only perpetuate the problem without solving it."

"Here in the House, we will continue to act responsibly as stewards of taxpayer dollars. For the first time in over five years, we passed a budget and brought the power of the purse strings back where it belongs - with an appropriations process in Congress. There is certainly much more work to be done, but I remain committed to acting in the best interest of our nation and our children's future."

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