RELEASE: Gottheimer Statement Against Partisan, Extreme Debt Ceiling Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) voted against far-right, extreme legislation that would cut veterans benefits, investments in the military and law enforcement, raise taxes, kill jobs, and defund critical programs like public safety, health care coverage, childcare, and food assistance for seniors.

Last week, the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus — which Gottheimer Co-Chairs — released a new debt ceiling framework to avoid defaulting on the national debt through February 2025. It will suspend the debt ceiling, prevent an economic collapse, and address our longer-term fiscal health.

“I cannot support the extreme, partisan legislation that was brought forward because it would slash investments for our military and law enforcement, cut hard-earned benefits for veterans, raise taxes, kill jobs, and defund critical support for our families, children, seniors, and public safety,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “All sides must sit down at the table and get this done. If we don’t, our economy, savings, and our standing in the world will suffer. We need to pass bipartisan legislation that can actually get through the Senate and to the President’s desk to prevent a debt crisis. The Problem Solvers’ bipartisan framework would suspend the debt ceiling and help prevent our nation’s economy from driving off a fiscal cliff — and address our nation’s longer-term fiscal health.”

In New Jersey, according to public reporting, the far-right, partisan legislation would:

• Put 411,000 people in New Jersey at risk of losing their Medicaid coverage.
• Threaten access to meals and food assistance for 11,000 people aged 50-55 in New Jersey.
• Eliminate childcare and preschool for at least 6,800 children in New Jersey.
• Increase housing costs for at least 20,200 New Jersey residents.
• Make college more expensive for at least 150,100 students in New Jersey.
• Cut at least 190 rail safety inspection days in New Jersey.

For the nation, according to public reporting, the far-right, partisan legislation would:

• Cut more than $1 billion in investment for federal and state law enforcement.
• Cut millions of dollars for veterans programs including Veterans’ Employment and Training services, pharmaceutical copayments, operating expenses for the Veterans Benefits Administration, VA information technology systems, and veterans housing benefits.
• Slash more than $4.5 billion for military personnel, $18 billion for defense operations and maintenance, $971 million in operations and maintenance for drug interdiction and counter drug activities, and $409 million for Medicare eligible retiree health fund contributions.
• Increase energy bills and raise taxes on American families.
• Eliminate 108,000 teachers, which would impact more 32 million children.
• Cut veterans medical care — causing 30 million fewer outpatient visits.
• Send manufacturing offshore and eliminate thousands of jobs across the country.
• Harm our public safety – with 1,000 fewer rail safety inspections, 30,000 fewer miles of track inspected annually, and shutting down 125 air traffic control towers.
• Take health care away from millions of Americans and threaten food assistance for thousands of older people.
• Protect tax cheats who do not pay the taxes they legally owe.

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