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Conservatives to launch debt ceiling pledge
House and Senate conservatives has signed onto a new hard-line pledge vowing to oppose any debt ceiling increase without congressional passage of a balanced budget amendment.
Seven senators and four House members have signed the pledge which is being pushed by a coalition of conservative groups, some Tea Party-oriented.
The pledge also commits members not to vote for a debt ceiling increase without near term spending cuts and enforceable spending caps.
The sponsors will make a major push to get new signatories starting tomorrow.
A substantial number of signatories could substantially complicate deficit talks being led by Vice President Joe Biden. So far GOP and Democratic leaders have not been pushing a balanced budget amendment in those talks, which seek to find a way to raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by Aug. 2.
“I, __________________________________ pledge to oppose any debt limit increase unless all three of the following conditions have been met: 1. Cut - Substantial cuts in spending that will reduce the deficit next year and thereafter. 2. Cap - Enforceable spending caps that will put federal spending on a path to a balanced budget. 3. Balance - Congressional passage (not mere support) of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution -- but only if it includes both a spending limitation and a super-majority for raising taxes, in addition to balancing revenues and expenses,” it reads.
Reps Joe Walsh (Ill.), Ron Paul (Texas), Jim Jordan (Ohio), Tim Huelskamp (Kan.) and Jason Chaffetz (Utah) have also signed the pledge.
The pledge is sponsored by CutCapandBalance, which counts as its members Family Research Council Action, Citizens Against Government Waste and Club for Growth as well as Tea Party groups like FreedomWorks Tea Party Express and Americans for Prosperity.
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