Schumer, Pelosi Joint Statement on Continuing Resolution and Debt Limit Legislation

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on the upcoming Continuing Resolution legislation to keep government open, which includes a suspension of the debt limit, emergency disaster relief and funding to help resettle Afghan evacuees:

“This week, the House of Representatives will pass legislation to fund the government through December of this year to avoid a needless government shutdown that would harm American families and our economic recovery before the September 30th deadline.  Both Republicans and Democrats have priorities they want to see addressed in the regular order appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2022, and an extension of government funding through December will provide an appropriate amount of time for that bipartisan, bicameral process to come to completion.  In addition to avoiding an unnecessary government shutdown, this must-pass legislation will include the Administration’s request to provide emergency funding to help those devastated by the recent natural disasters as well as to help resettle our Afghan evacuees.

“The legislation to avoid a government shutdown will also include a suspension of the debt limit through December 2022 to once again meet our obligations and protect the full faith and credit of the United States.  We believe a suspension of the debt limit through December 2022 would provide an amount of time commensurate with the debt incurred as a result of passing last winter’s bipartisan $908 billion emergency COVID relief legislation, which was authored by Republican Senators Cassidy, Romney, Portman, Collins and others – and ultimately voted for by more than 40 Republicans – including Senator McConnell – and signed into law by the previous president.

“The American people expect our Republican colleagues to live up to their responsibilities and make good on the debts they proudly helped incur in the December 2020 ‘908’ COVID package that helped American families and small businesses reeling from the COVID crisis.

“Addressing the debt limit is about meeting obligations the government has already made, like the bipartisan emergency COVID relief legislation from December as well as vital payments to Social Security recipients and our veterans.  Furthermore, as the Administration warned last week, a reckless Republican-forced default could plunge the country into a recession.

“We look forward to passing this crucial legislation with bipartisan support through both chambers and sending to the president’s desk in the coming weeks.”

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