Isakson Opposes President Obama’s Request to Increase Debt Limit By An Additional $1.2 Trillion

Media release: Saying that the federal government must live within its means just as American families have to do, U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today voted in support of a resolution of disapproval on the president's request to increase the debt limit by an additional $1.2 trillion. Isakson voiced disappointment that the motion to proceed to the resolution failed in the Senate by a vote of 44 to 52.

 

Even though the resolution passed the House last week by a vote of 239 to 176, the failed vote in the Senate now means that, under the Budget Control Act of 2011, the president's requested debt increase of $1.2 trillion will go into effect because Congress has failed to pass a resolution of disapproval within 15 days of the president's request.

"Our country is experiencing a very serious financial crisis that has been felt by families and businesses across America. I find it very troubling that the president is asking to increase the nation's debt limit when his Democrat majority in the Senate has failed to submit budget in the past 1,000 days," said Isakson. "In the president's speech on Tuesday night, he spoke a great deal about fairness. I would suggest that the fairest thing Washington can do is to finally pass a budget and, and more importantly, stick to it and force the federal government to live within its means just as Americans across the country have had to do in their households and businesses."

Isakson is co-sponsor of S.J. Res. 34, a similar resolution of disapproval on increasing the debt limit, which was introduced by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., earlier this week. In September 2011, Isakson voted in favor of another resolution of disapproval on increasing the debt limit, which failed by a vote of 45 to 52.