Senator Murray’s Statement on Vote to Avoid Default

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray today released the following statement on her vote to raise the debt-ceiling and avoid default as part of bipartisan compromise debt and deficit reduction package.

“Tomorrow, I plan to vote to prevent the United States from defaulting on its obligations for the first time in our nation’s history. It is a vote to avoid an economic blow that would be felt across the globe, including in the lives, homes, and finances of nearly every Washington state family.

“To be clear, this plan is not ideal. While we protected Medicare and Social Security from painful cuts today and prevented repeating this crisis in just a matter of months, it is undeniable that the spending cuts included in this package are serious and impactful. These cuts, not unlike those that have been made by struggling Washington state families during this recession, will be difficult sacrifices that are a reminder of the trying economic times we are in.

“I’m also deeply disappointed that Republicans refused to allow millionaires, billionaires, and oil companies to sacrifice alongside those who will be affected by these cuts. I strongly believe that everyone must sacrifice, not just middle-class families who have been sacrificing over and over. That’s why the Joint Select Committee set up by this compromise will be so important in building a balanced approach to addressing our long-term debt and deficit.

“Over the course of the last month, Washington state families have written me in record numbers to lend their voice to this debate. Many, who had never e-mailed or called their elected official before, wrote to ask for compromise and sanity in this debate. They told me about the tough but reasonable choices they made to rein in their own finances and how they couldn’t understand why it was so difficult for Washington, D.C. to do the same.

“If we are going to do the broad and necessary work to get Americans back on the job and kick-start economic growth we need to heed the call of these Washington families. The ‘my way or the highway’ approach to governing needs to end. It’s time to stop careening from political crisis to crisis and start coming together on a vision for a nation that puts its people before politics and partisanship.”